title: Stromal cells can be cultured and characterized from diagnostic bronchoalveolar fluid samples obtained from patients with various types of interstitial lung diseases.
abstract: Increased proliferation of stromal cells is a typical feature encountered in several lung diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the success of standardized process for culturing stromal cells from small volumes of diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples collected from various patients and to characterize the cultured cells. Small volumes (average 15 mL) of BAL fluid samples were collected from 98 patients who underwent bronchoscopy and BAL for diagnostic purposes. The cells were cultured in vitro and characterized by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, flow cytometry and differentiation tests. Cells could be cultured from 62% of samples with the success rate varying with the disease (p = 0.003). Cultures from samples of the patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, connective tissue disorder associated interstitial lung disease and allergic alveolitis had a higher success rate than samples derived from control lung (p < 0.001, 0.03, 0.03 and 0.044, respectively). Smokers had a higher success rate compared with non-smokers (p = 0.035). The cultured cells were fibroblasts or myofibroblasts, but shared also similarities with progenitor-type cells. The study shows that mesenchymal cells can be cultured and studied from small volumes of diagnostic BAL fluid samples from patients with several different types of lung diseases.
authors.forename: Siri T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lehtonen
authors.forename: Henna M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Karvonen
authors.forename: Terttu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harju
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sormunen
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lappi-Blanco
authors.forename: Meeri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hilli
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Risteli
authors.forename: Heta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merikallio
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaarteenaho
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D054988:Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C541116:ACTA2 protein, human; D000199:Actins; D000954:Antigens, Surface