title: [A role for mesothelial cells in the genesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?].
abstract: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and lethal process of unknown etiology. The sub-pleural localization of fibrosis is a hallmark of early IPF but no link between the pleura and IPF has been established yet. We developed an experimental model of pleural fibrosis induced by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 to mesothelial cells and observed collagen accumulation within the pleura but also in the sub-pleural parenchyma. This sub-pleural fibrosis was associated, in vivo, with a mesothelial--to--myofibroblast transformation (mesothelio-fibroblastoid transformation), a process similar to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This phenotypic modification was also observed in vitro in mesothelial cells treated with recombinant TGF-beta1. These results suggest that mesothelial cells may have a central role not only in pleural fibrosis but also in the onset and progression of IPF.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche INSERM 866 Lipides, Nutrition, Cancer, 7 bd Jeanne d'Arc, 21079 Dijon.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Decologne
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wettstein
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonniaud
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae; D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1