title: Characterization of myofibroblasts in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been generally accepted that chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from pulmonary embolism arising from deep vein thrombosis. An unresolved question regarding the etiology of CTEPH is why pulmonary thromboemboli are stable and resistant to effective anticoagulation. Recently non-resolving pulmonary thromboemboli in CTEPH have been shown to include myofibroblasts. This study investigates the cellular characteristics of myofibroblasts included in the organized thrombotic tissues of CTEPH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Organized thrombotic tissues of patients with CTEPH were obtained following pulmonary endarterectomy. We isolated cells from endarterectomized tissue from patients with CTEPH and identified them as endothelial-like cells and myofibroblast-like cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Myofibroblast-like cells were characterized as hyperproliferative, anchorage-independent, invasive and serum-independent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we report the presence of active myofibroblast-like cells in endarterectomized tissue of CTEPH. We suggest that the formation of myofibroblasts with a high growth potential in the organized thrombotic tissues may be an important event in the pathobiology of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respirology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. miki-m@tg7.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruoka
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakao
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantake
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Katsushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurosu
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.forename: Masahisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Norbert F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Voelkel
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004691:Endarterectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery