title: Endothelin-1 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
abstract: AIMS--To evaluate whether endothelin-1 is involved in the pathology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). METHODS--Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were evaluated in 37 patients with IPF and 27 normal controls by radioimmunoassay. In addition, expression of endothelin-1 in lung tissue was evaluated in biopsy specimens obtained from four patients with IPF. Three biopsy specimens of normal lung were used as controls. Endothelin-1 immunoreactivity was detected using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS--Elevated endothelin-1 plasma concentrations were found in patients with IPF compared with controls and a positive correlation was found with duration of disease. No significant difference was observed between treated and untreated patients with IPF. Increased endothelin-1 immunoreactivity was found in lungs of three of four patients with IPF. Endothelin-1 positive consisted mainly of small vessel endothelial cells. Some scattered macrophages were also positive. CONCLUSIONS--Elevated plasma concentrations and expression of endothelin-1 in lung tissue are suggestive of increased production of endothelin-1 in at least a proportion of patients with IPF. Consequently, endothelin-1 activity could play a role in the fibrogenic process of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Immunologia e Genetica, Instituto di Ricerca Codivilla Putti, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uguccioni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulsatelli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grigolo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cinti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meliconi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016232:Endothelins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004727:Endothelium / Q000737:chemistry; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins