PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “PULMONARY FIBROSIS”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or lone cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis is an interstitial lung disease of unknown origin carrying an unfavorable prognosis. A yet unidentified hazard triggers a chronic inflammatory infiltration of the lung parenchyma characterized by an accumulation of alveolar macrophages, neutrophil and eosinophil granulocytes, and lymphocytes. Cytokines released by the activated cells modulate the inflammatory events. Oxidants and proteases, mainly released by alveolar macrophages and neutrophil granulocytes, mediate the injury to the lung parenchyma, leading to loss of alveolar-capillary units. The ensuing repair process, mesenchymal cell proliferation and up-regulation of synthesis of collagen fibers and other components of connective tissue matrix, replaces lung parenchyma by fibrotic tissue, leading to irreversible pulmonary dysfunction.

Cytokines↗

Interferon-gamma 1b for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) represents a particularly aggressive disease, the aetiology of which still remains unknown. The natural history of the disease often leads to respiratory failure and death, with a mortality rate greater than some cancers. To date, no management approach has proven to be efficacious for the treatment of this disease. IPF has been characterised as an 'epithelial-fibroblastic disorder', characterised by abnormal wound healing with excessive fibrosis and minimal inflammation. These emerging data have focused attention on antifibrotic drugs. Interferon-gamma1b (IFN-gamma1b) has recently been proposed as a promising candidate for the treatment of IPF. The reason for this is that IFN-gamma1b has the ability to modulate the Th1/Th2 imbalance and to suppress fibroblast activation. The view that IPF is untreatable at present requires reconsideration, as improved survival has been suggested in three controlled trials of IFN-gamma1b in IPF therapy.

Animals↗

The CXC chemokines, IL-8 and IP-10, regulate angiogenic activity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and often fatal disorder. Fibroplasia and deposition of extracellular matrix are dependent, in part, on angiogenesis. We postulated that an imbalance exists in the expression of angiogenic (IL-8) vs angiostatic (IFN-gamma-inducible protein (IP-10)) CXC chemokines, which favors net angiogenesis in IPF. To test this hypothesis, we obtained open lung biopsies either from normal patients undergoing thoracic surgery for reasons other than interstitial lung disease (control) or from patients with IPF. We found that levels of IL-8 were greater from tissue specimens of IPF patients then from those of controls. In contrast, IP-10 levels were higher from tissue specimens obtained from control subjects than from those from IPF patients. When IL-8 or IP-10 was depleted from IPF tissue specimens, tissue-derived angiogenic activity was markedly reduced or enhanced, respectively. Immunolocalization of IL-8 demonstrated that the pulmonary fibroblast (PF) of IPF lung was the predominant cellular source of IL-8. Isolated PF from IPF patients constitutively produced more IL-8 and less IP-10 than control PF. Conditioned media from IPF-PFs demonstrated constitutive angiogenic activity that was attributable, in part, to IL-8. Depletion of IP-10 from IPF-PF CM resulted in an increase in corneal neovascularization. These findings support the notion that IL-8 and IP-10 are important factors that regulate angiogenic activity in IPF.

Aged↗

Pharmacologic suppression of the neutrophil component of the alveolitis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology characterized by inflammation of the lower respiratory tract and injury and fibrosis of the lung parenchyma. Neutrophils are a significant component of the alveolitis of IPF, and are known to have a potent armamentarium of mediators capable of damaging the lung parenchyma. To evaluate the ability of 2 pharmacologic agents, corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, to suppress the neutrophil component of the inflammation of IPF, bronchoalveolar lavage was used to monitor those patients with active disease (greater than 10% neutrophils recovered by lavage). Those patients treated with corticosteroids alone showed no suppression in the neutrophil component of the alveolitis after 3 months and at 6 months of therapy (p greater than 0.8, both compared to before therapy). In marked contrast, patients treated with cyclophosphamide, alone or with corticosteroids, showed a significant reduction in the neutrophil alveolitis at 3 months (cyclophosphamide alone, p less than 0.01; cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids, p less than 0.02; both compared to before therapy) and at 6 months (cyclophosphamide alone, p less than 0.01; compared to before therapy). Pulmonary function tests at the beginning and end of the study were not different in any of the treatment groups. Thus, cyclophosphamide, alone or in combination with corticosteroids, is much more effective than corticosteroids alone in suppressing the neutrophil component of the inflammation of IPF. Whether or not this effect of cyclophosphamide will result in overall stabilization or improvement of the disease will require a larger, likely multicenter, trial.

Adult↗

[Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fibroproliferative disorder characterized histopathologically by heterogenous interstitial fibrosis with fibroblastic foci and honeycomb lung. The diagnosis is based on a pluridisciplinary approach, integrating the clinical evaluation, the chest high-resolution computerized tomography features, and the pathological pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia on video-thoracoscopic lung biopsy when performed. When the tomodensitometric pattern is typical (50% of the cases), the diagnosis may be made without a lung biopsy. No treatment has proven benefit in survival. Treatment with N-acetylcysteine in association with corticosteroids and azathioprine has recently shown a modest functional improvement. Clinical trials are strongly needed in this still uncurable disease with median survival at 3 years of only about 50%.

Biopsy↗

Treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive lung disease in most cases, and effective treatment is still lacking. This review examines the current status of treatment options and complexities in the management of patients with IPF. Although optimal therapy for IPF has not been identified, ongoing research efforts warrant reason for optimism. Current management of IPF includes not only judicious use of available pharmacological agents tailored to individual circumstances but also patient education through realistic assessment of prognosis, discussion of pros and cons of pharmacotherapy, early consideration of lung transplantation when applicable, treatment of complications, supportive care, and encouragement to participate in clinical trials.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Potential role of environmental and occupational pollutants in the etiological pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and usually fatal lung disease of no identifiable etiology, which is characterised by fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation resulting in irreversible distortion of the architecture of the lung. Some studies suggest the role of various environmental exposure and occupational pollutants in the etiopathogenesis of IPF. However, other studies fail to confirm these observations. This article is a review of studies searching for potential etiological factors of IPF in the environment in the place of living and place of working. It seems, that conflicting results of these studies make impossible to determine the potential role of environmental and occupational pollutants in the pathogenesis of IPF.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

Effect of glutathione aerosol on oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterised by alveolar inflammation, exaggerated release of oxidants, and subnormal concentrations of the antioxidant glutathione in respiratory epithelial lining fluid (ELF). Glutathione (600 mg twice daily for 3 days) was given by aerosol to 10 patients with IPF. Total ELF glutathione rose transiently, ELF oxidised glutathione concentrations increased, and there was a decrease in spontaneous superoxide anion release by alveolar macrophages. Thus, glutathione by aerosol could be a means of reversing the oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in IPF.

Adult↗

Pirfenidone for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an under-recognised, rare, progressive disease of the lungs with unknown aetiology and high mortality. The currently advocated pathogenic mechanism is represented by progressive multifocal fibrosis. It is diagnosed based on clinical, radiographic, physiological and histopathological criteria. Existing therapeutic guidelines recommend anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive combinations, despite proven limited efficacy. There is no therapy approved specifically for IPF, but several antifibrotic agents are currently under development for this indication. Pirfenidone is an antifibrotic agent potentially effective for IPF therapy, and preclinical and available clinical data support its use in IPF. Future clinical studies are expected to provide more consistent information on survival benefit, lung function and health-related quality of life.

Administration, Oral↗

The effect of oral N-acetylcysteine on lung glutathione levels in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by an increased oxidant burden and by a deficiency of glutathione, a major antioxidant, in the lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF). Therefore, a rational therapeutic approach is to reverse the imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in the lung by enhancing the antioxidant screen. With this background, the aim of our study was to evaluate oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as a strategy to augment lung glutathione levels in patients with IPF. Concentrations of total glutathione in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were quantified spectrophotometrically, before and following oral therapy with 3 x 600 mg NAC per day for 5 days, in 17 nonsmoking patients with biopsy-proven IPF. The volume of ELF recovered by BAL was determined using the urea method. Pretherapy, total glutathione levels in ELF in IPF patients were significantly less than normal (187 +/- 36 vs 368 +/- 60 microM), in contrast to levels in BALF (0.99 +/- 0.12 vs 1.18 +/- 0.19 microM). Following therapy with oral NAC, glutathione levels in BALF were 1.54 +/- 0.24 microM (a significant increase compared to pretherapy), whereas the increase in ELF levels (319 +/- 92 microM) did not reach significance. The therapy was well-tolerated, and all routine clinical and bronchoscopic parameters remained unchanged. It is thus feasible and safe to augment deficient lung glutathione levels in patients with IPF; thereby, potentially augmenting pulmonary antioxidant protection.

Acetylcysteine↗

Collagen synthesis and degradation during the development of asbestos-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Although pulmonary fibrosis results from exposure to a high level of asbestos, the relative contributions of increased synthesis and/or reduced degradation of total collagen and of any specific type of collagen are not clear. To examine collagen turnover, rats were instilled with crocidolite fibers via the trachea and killed at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The left lobe was used to determine collagen synthesis by incubating lung pieces with [3H]proline and subsequently measuring 3-hydroxyproline (HYP). Collagenolytic activity was estimated from the release of soluble HYP after incubation of lung homogenates for 48 h. Ratios of collagen types I and III were assayed by gel electrophoresis, both on whole lung and on the labeled homogenate. As fibrosis develops, both total HYP and HYP per dry weight increase at 2 weeks and continue to rise over the experimental period with no differences in the ratio of total types I:III collagens. However, newly synthesized collagen showed an increase in type III at 2 weeks and later a higher proportion of type I collagen when compared with the control. Total collagenolytic activity of asbestos-treated lungs was the same as controls when expressed per dry weight, but was reduced when calculated per unit of collagen. However, active collagenolytic activity was lower than control values when expressed by HYP content and per dry weight at all times after asbestos. The results suggest that reduced degradation of collagen contributes to the fibrotic process in addition to the progressive increase in collagen synthesis, particularly the type I form.

Animals↗

Cytokine network in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains a relentlessly progressive lung disorder despite four decades of interest in its pathogenesis and treatment. It is important to emphasize that IPF is a progressive and irreversible illness, and, until now, there has been no available drug that has been capable of modifying the progressive natural course of IPF and its usual terminal outcome. Although the pathogenesis of this disease is complex and poorly understood, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and regulators of apoptosis have all been implicated in its pathogenesis and disease progression. This review summarizes the evidence implicating these molecules as primarily involved in the pathogenesis of IPF such as cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, with particular emphasis to novel interactions. The elucidation of mediators that orchestrate this aberrant tissue repair will allow the development of novel interventions to treat this devastating disorder.

Animals↗

Lack of evidence for a role of Epstein-Barr virus in the increase of lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is known as an independent risk factor for lung cancer. Because Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be involved in the genesis of IPF as well as certain malignancies, we investigated whether EBV contributes to the increased incidence of lung cancer in IPF The formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded lung sections were prepared from 22 lung cancer patients with IPF and 22 lung cancer patients without IPF All ofthe IPF patients pathologically showed usual interstitial pneumonia. In situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small non-polyadenylated RNAs failed to show positive signals in the cancer tissues of either IPF or non-IPF patients. This study did not provide evidence for an etiologic role of EBV in the development of lung cancer in IPF.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Interactions between cigarette smoking and the natural history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by an inflammation of the walls of the respiratory airspaces that proceed to fibrotic alveolar derangement. Smoking habits are associated with changes in the number and the activation state of immune and inflammatory alveolar cells. Cigarette smoke could interact with the course of this disease. To evaluate the effects of smoking on IPF, 11 smokers and 16 nonsmokers were compared. Clinical presentation, PFTs, BAL cell populations, short-term glucocorticoid responsiveness and survival were evaluated. Similar PFT results were observed in both groups. Lymphocyte cells were higher in nonsmokers than in smokers. Glucocorticoid responsiveness was mainly observed in nonsmokers. Nonsmoking status was not associated with survival advantage. We conclude that the subset of IPF characterized by an aggressive onset, a BAL fluid high lymphocyte count and a substantial PFT improvement after therapy began, occurs predominantly in the absence of cigarette smoking habits.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗

ENA-78 is an important angiogenic factor in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and often fatal disorder. Fibroplasia and deposition of extracellular matrix are dependent, in part, on angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. We obtained open lung biopsies from patients undergoing thoracic surgery for reasons other than interstitial lung disease (control) (n = 78) and from patients with IPF (n = 91). We found that levels of epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide 78 (ENA-78) were greater from tissue specimens of IPF patients, as compared with control subjects. When ENA-78 was depleted from IPF tissue specimens, tissue-derived angiogenic activity was markedly reduced. Immunolocalization of ENA-78 demonstrated that hyperplastic Type II pneumocytes and macrophages were the predominant cellular sources of ENA-78. These findings support the notion that ENA-78 may be an important additional factor that regulates angiogenic activity in IPF.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents↗

MYCL1, FHIT, SPARC, p16(INK4) and TP53 genes associated to lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a specific form of chronic interstitial pneumonia limited to the lung and characterized by a fibroproliferative response with only minor signs of inflammation, which almost always causes rapid fibrotic destruction of the lung. In this study, we investigated genomic instability in IPF, using microsatellite DNA analysis, aiming to detect any specific genetic alterations for this disease. We used 40 highly polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers, in multiplex PCR assays, to examine 52 sputum specimens from IPF patients versus correspondent venous blood. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was found in 20 (38.5%) patients in at least one locus. These alterations were found on markers previously associated with lung cancer located on 1p34.3, 3p21.32-p21.1, 5q32-q33.1, 9p21 and 17p13.1 where MYCL1, FHIT, SPARC, p16(Ink4) and TP53 genes have been mapped respectively. These data provide new insights into IPF pathogenesis and a new perspective for its correlation with lung cancer.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases↗

Multiomic analysis identifies T cell subsets and mechanisms of epithelial interaction in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal interstitial lung disease characterized by progressive scarring and respiratory failure. While T cells are elevated in IPF lungs, their contributions to fibrosis beyond inflammation remain poorly understood. Here, we performed multiplex imaging and single-cell RNA and protein profiling on about 90,000 CD3+ T cells from control and fibrotic lungs, revealing 11 distinct subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, including a rare CD56+ regulatory T cell. In addition to increased T cell numbers in severely fibrotic lungs compared with non-diseased controls, we observed CD4+ and CD8+ T cells localized near epithelial cells and in niches of abnormal epithelium. CXCR4/MIF signaling emerged as a central axis mediating T cell-epithelial interactions, while epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and TGF-β pathways dominated in multiple T cell subsets. Our findings support the concept that T cells in IPF adopt nonclassical activation patterns that are driven by epithelial interactions within the fibrotic microenvironment. These studies provide a foundation for exploring alternative therapeutic strategies in IPF lungs by modulating T cell behavior and communication networks.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis↗

Pathogenetic mechanisms in usual interstitial pneumonia/idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, usually fatal, form of interstitial lung disease characterized by failure of alveolar re-epithelialization, persistence of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, deposition of extracellular matrix, and distortion of lung architecture which ultimately results in respiratory failure. Clinical IPF is associated with a histopathological pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) on surgical lung biopsy. Therapy for this disease with glucocorticoids and other immunomodulatory agents is largely ineffective and recent trials of newer anti-fibrotic agents have been disappointing. While the inciting event(s) leading to the initiation of scar formation in UIP remain unknown, recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying both normal and aberrant wound healing have shed some light on pathogenetic mechanisms that may play significant roles in this disease. Unlike other fibrotic diseases of the lung, such as those associated with collagen vascular disease, occupational exposure, or chemotherapeutic agents, UIP is not associated with a significant inflammatory response; rather, dysregulated epithelial-mesenchymal interactions predominate. Identification of pathways crucial to fibrogenesis might offer potentially novel therapeutic targets to slow or halt the progression of IPF. This review focuses on evolving concepts of cellular and molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of UIP/IPF.

Epithelium↗