title: IL-4 and IL-13 induce chemotaxis of human foreskin fibroblasts, but not human fetal lung fibroblasts.
abstract: Through shared receptors, IL-4 and IL-13 have been suggested to regulate not only inflammatory cells, but also to play a role in stimulating fibroblasts during fibrotic processes. Previous studies have shown that IL-4 is a chemoattractant for foreskin fibroblasts. The current study was designed to determine the effect of IL-4 and IL-13 on the migration of two types of fibroblasts: foreskin and human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL-1). Using the Boyden blindwell chamber method, human foreskin or fetal lung fibroblasts (both 10(6)/mL) were placed in upper wells with various concentrations of IL-4 or IL-13 in the lower wells as chemoattractants. Both IL-4 (1 pg/mL) and IL-13 (100 pg/mL) induced foreskin fibroblast chemotaxis, up to 50 +/- 8 and 24 +/- 7 cells/5 high-power fields, respectively (both p < 0.05). In contrast, neither cytokine induced migration of the lung fibroblasts although both type of cells express IL-4 receptor and IL-13alpha1 receptor. These results suggest that fibroblasts are heterogeneous with regard to their ability to respond to cytokine-driven chemotaxis. Therefore, the role of specific cytokines in mediating fibrotic responses might vary depending on local mesenchymal cell responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohyama
authors.forename: Xiangde
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fu-Qiang
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Stephen I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Rennard
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D005333:Fetus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D015847:Interleukin-4