title: Analysis of gene expression profiles in alveolar epithelial type II-like cells differentiated from human alveolar epithelial progenitor cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Damage to lung epithelial cells through chronic injury and abnormal repair and remodeling lead to lung destruction and fibrosis. We isolated lung progenitor cells that could potentially contribute to lung diseases. The progenitor cells can differentiate into alveolar type II (ATII)-like cells in vitro, and are increased in number and localized within the region of alveolar epithelial cell proliferation that is involved in the reparative response to injury. However, global gene expression patterns in the ATII-like cells derived from the progenitor cells and in mature ATII cells isolated from lung tissue have not yet been evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed gene expression array and directly compared the gene expression patterns in ATII-like cells derived from the progenitor cells with those in mature ATII cells isolated from human lung tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ATII-like cells and mature ATII cells expressed certain common genes, such as CEPBD and FOXP1, which determine the phenotypes of ATII cells. However, many genes were differentially expressed between the 2 cell types. As compared to mature ATII cells, ATII-like cells showed decreased expression of the genes associated with surfactant protein production and epithelial phenotypes. Pathway analysis indicated changes in several pathways, including those involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, which could contribute to the observed differences in gene expression patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we identified genes commonly or differentially expressed by ATII-like cells differentiated from progenitor cells and mature ATII cells isolated from human lung tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Preventive Medicine for Infectious Disease, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryoumachi, Aobaku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Ahmed E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hegab
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hidemasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Mutsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaya
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D059467:Transcriptome