Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0034069 (pulmonary fibrosis)
 7,050 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a critical role in immune homeostasis and expansion of Treg is controlled by chemokine receptors. The chemokine CXCL12 and its G-protein-coupled receptor (CXCR4) are involved in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the association of Treg with the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis has not been documented. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution and extent of CXCL12/CXCR4 expression in idiopathic type of pulmonary fibrosis, and the relation of Treg expansion in the interstitium of pulmonary fibrosis patients to CXCL12/CXCR4 expression. CXCL12 expression was examined by immunostaining and ELISA in tissue specimens from patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP, n=15), patients with fibrotic non-specific interstitial pneumonia (f-NSIP, n=4), and controls (n=6). CXCR4 expression was examined by in situ hybridization and immunoblotting. Expression of CD45, CD3, CD20, transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), and CD25 was assessed by immunostaining. Fibrosis was evaluated by determining the established fibrosis (EF) score. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis was upregulated in UIP and f-NSIP, and CXCL12 derived from lung tissue attracted CXCR4(+) cells. CXCR4(+) cells showed a CD3(+) cell distribution pattern. The interstitial FOXP3(+)/CD3(+) and CD25(+)/CD3(+) cell ratios were lower in UIP than f-NSIP, but the CXCR4(+)/CD3(+) cell ratio was not different. The FOXP3(+)/CD3(+) cell ratio and EF score were inversely correlated. These findings suggest that the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis contributes to inflammation in UIP and f-NSIP by promoting the accumulation CXCR4(+) lymphocytes, and a decrease of Treg is correlated with the severity of fibrosis in UIP.
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PMID:Decreased interstitial FOXP3(+) lymphocytes in usual interstitial pneumonia with discrepancy of CXCL12/CXCR4 axis. 2064 40

Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss syndrome) are conditions classified under the general heading of antinuclear cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Lung lesion is a very common and important clinical feature in AAV. In MPA, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and pulmonary fibrosis (PF) are the most frequent manifestations. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest findings associated with MPA in PF patients demonstrate a high frequency of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), fibrotic-nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (F-NSIP), and combined PF and emphysema (CPFE) pattern with honeycombing, traction bronchiectasis, ground-glass opacity, and emphysema. In most of these cases, the histologic pattern of PF has been classified as UIP and/or fibrotic NSIP. In addition, a high incidence of histological findings, such as extensive interstitial fibrosis, lymphoid hyperplasia, and bronchiolitis, are characteristics observed in PF associated with collagen vascular diseases and which are not observed in idiopathic PF (IPF). In some cases, PF precedes the development of MPA. Indeed, there are some cases of pulmonary-limited MPA in this group. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of MPA as an underlying feature of PF in order to avoid overlooking and misdiagnosing this condition as IPF. The median survival time (MST) in UIP pattern/MPA is comparable with that of IPF. In GPA, almost all patients have either upper airway or lower respiratory tract lesions. Solitary or multiple nodules (frequently cavitated) and masses are the most common findings on chest images. Asthma is a cardinal symptom of Churg-Straus syndrome, often preceded by allergic rhinitis. To induce remission, a severity-based regimen was given to patients according to the appropriate protocol of the Japanese patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA-associated vasculitis (JMAAV) study group: low-dose corticosteroid and, if necessary, cyclophosphamide or azathioprine in patients with mild form; high-dose corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide in those with severe form; severe-form regimen plus plasmapheresis in those with the most severe form.
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PMID:Pulmonary involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis from the view of the pulmonologist. 2318 94