Myofibroblasts are increased in the lung parenchyma in asthma

S.R. Boser; T. Mauad; B.B. de Araujo-Paulino; I. Mitchell; G. Shrestha; A. Chiu; J. Butt; M.M. Kelly; E. Caldini; Alan James; F. Green

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0182378

Myofibroblasts are increased in the lung parenchyma in asthma

S.R. Boser, T. Mauad, B.B. de Araujo-Paulino, I. Mitchell, G. Shrestha, A. Chiu, J. Butt, M.M. Kelly, E. Caldini, Alan James, F. Green

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background

Increased airway smooth muscle is observed in large and small airways in asthma. Semi-quantitative estimates suggest that cells containing alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) are also increased in the lung parenchyma. This study quantified and characterized alpha-SMA positive cells (alpha-SMA+) in the lung parenchyma of non-asthmatic and asthmatic individuals.

Methods

Post-mortem sections of peripheral lung from cases of fatal asthma (FA), persons with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and non-asthma control subjects (NAC) were stained for alpha-SMA, quantified using point-counting and normalised to alveolar basement membrane length and interstitial area.

Results

alpha-SMA+ fractional area was increased in alveolar parenchyma in both FA (14.7 +/- 2.8% of tissue area) and NFA (13.0 +/- 1.2%), compared with NAC (7.4 +/- 2.4%), p <0.05 The difference was greater in upper lobes compared with lower lobes (p <0.01) in both asthma groups. Similar changes were observed in alveolar ducts and alveolar walls. The electron microscopic features of the alpha-SMA+ cells were characteristic of myofibroblasts.

Conclusions

We conclude that in asthma there is a marked increase in alpha-SMA+ myofibroblasts in the lung parenchyma. The physiologic consequences of this increase are unknown.

Original language	English
Article number	e0182378
Number of pages	14
Journal	PLoS One
Volume	12
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182378
Publication status	Published - 7 Aug 2017
Externally published	Yes

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10.1371/journal.pone.0182378Licence: CC BY

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title = "Myofibroblasts are increased in the lung parenchyma in asthma",

abstract = "BackgroundIncreased airway smooth muscle is observed in large and small airways in asthma. Semi-quantitative estimates suggest that cells containing alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) are also increased in the lung parenchyma. This study quantified and characterized alpha-SMA positive cells (alpha-SMA+) in the lung parenchyma of non-asthmatic and asthmatic individuals.MethodsPost-mortem sections of peripheral lung from cases of fatal asthma (FA), persons with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and non-asthma control subjects (NAC) were stained for alpha-SMA, quantified using point-counting and normalised to alveolar basement membrane length and interstitial area.Resultsalpha-SMA+ fractional area was increased in alveolar parenchyma in both FA (14.7 +/- 2.8% of tissue area) and NFA (13.0 +/- 1.2%), compared with NAC (7.4 +/- 2.4%), p <0.05 The difference was greater in upper lobes compared with lower lobes (p <0.01) in both asthma groups. Similar changes were observed in alveolar ducts and alveolar walls. The electron microscopic features of the alpha-SMA+ cells were characteristic of myofibroblasts.ConclusionsWe conclude that in asthma there is a marked increase in alpha-SMA+ myofibroblasts in the lung parenchyma. The physiologic consequences of this increase are unknown.",

keywords = "AIRWAY SMOOTH-MUSCLE, ELASTIC RECOIL, MAST-CELL, MECHANICS, TISSUE, INFLAMMATION, STIMULATION, DEATH",

author = "S.R. Boser and T. Mauad and {de Araujo-Paulino}, B.B. and I. Mitchell and G. Shrestha and A. Chiu and J. Butt and M.M. Kelly and E. Caldini and Alan James and F. Green",

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T1 - Myofibroblasts are increased in the lung parenchyma in asthma

AU - Boser, S.R.

AU - Mauad, T.

AU - de Araujo-Paulino, B.B.

AU - Mitchell, I.

AU - Shrestha, G.

AU - Chiu, A.

AU - Butt, J.

AU - Kelly, M.M.

AU - Caldini, E.

AU - James, Alan

AU - Green, F.

PY - 2017/8/7

Y1 - 2017/8/7

N2 - BackgroundIncreased airway smooth muscle is observed in large and small airways in asthma. Semi-quantitative estimates suggest that cells containing alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) are also increased in the lung parenchyma. This study quantified and characterized alpha-SMA positive cells (alpha-SMA+) in the lung parenchyma of non-asthmatic and asthmatic individuals.MethodsPost-mortem sections of peripheral lung from cases of fatal asthma (FA), persons with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and non-asthma control subjects (NAC) were stained for alpha-SMA, quantified using point-counting and normalised to alveolar basement membrane length and interstitial area.Resultsalpha-SMA+ fractional area was increased in alveolar parenchyma in both FA (14.7 +/- 2.8% of tissue area) and NFA (13.0 +/- 1.2%), compared with NAC (7.4 +/- 2.4%), p <0.05 The difference was greater in upper lobes compared with lower lobes (p <0.01) in both asthma groups. Similar changes were observed in alveolar ducts and alveolar walls. The electron microscopic features of the alpha-SMA+ cells were characteristic of myofibroblasts.ConclusionsWe conclude that in asthma there is a marked increase in alpha-SMA+ myofibroblasts in the lung parenchyma. The physiologic consequences of this increase are unknown.

AB - BackgroundIncreased airway smooth muscle is observed in large and small airways in asthma. Semi-quantitative estimates suggest that cells containing alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) are also increased in the lung parenchyma. This study quantified and characterized alpha-SMA positive cells (alpha-SMA+) in the lung parenchyma of non-asthmatic and asthmatic individuals.MethodsPost-mortem sections of peripheral lung from cases of fatal asthma (FA), persons with asthma dying of non-respiratory causes (NFA) and non-asthma control subjects (NAC) were stained for alpha-SMA, quantified using point-counting and normalised to alveolar basement membrane length and interstitial area.Resultsalpha-SMA+ fractional area was increased in alveolar parenchyma in both FA (14.7 +/- 2.8% of tissue area) and NFA (13.0 +/- 1.2%), compared with NAC (7.4 +/- 2.4%), p <0.05 The difference was greater in upper lobes compared with lower lobes (p <0.01) in both asthma groups. Similar changes were observed in alveolar ducts and alveolar walls. The electron microscopic features of the alpha-SMA+ cells were characteristic of myofibroblasts.ConclusionsWe conclude that in asthma there is a marked increase in alpha-SMA+ myofibroblasts in the lung parenchyma. The physiologic consequences of this increase are unknown.

KW - AIRWAY SMOOTH-MUSCLE

KW - ELASTIC RECOIL

KW - MAST-CELL

KW - MECHANICS

KW - TISSUE

KW - INFLAMMATION

KW - STIMULATION

KW - DEATH

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0182378

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0182378

M3 - Article

C2 - 28787016

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 12

JO - PLoS One

JF - PLoS One

IS - 8

M1 - e0182378

ER -

Myofibroblasts are increased in the lung parenchyma in asthma

Abstract

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