BACKGROUND Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by defective extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover as a result of prolonged cigarette smoking. Fibroblasts have a central role in ECM turnover. The TGFbeta induced Smad pathway provides intracellular signals to regulate ECM production. We address the following hypothesis: fibroblasts have abnormal expression of genes in the ...

Raynaud's phenomenon is frequently observed in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, and cold- or stress-induced norepinephrine (NE) has been speculated to be associated with vasoconstriction. Objective was to elucidate the role of NE in fibrosis in SSc. IL-6 is a potent stimulator of collagen production in fibroblasts. NE enhanced IL-6 production and proliferation more significantly in SSc fibrob...

Gamma-interferon-induced HLA-DR-like antigens on normal human fibroblasts were compared functionally to HLA-DR antigens on peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBML) from the same individual. Irradiated DR+ fibroblasts did not stimulate allogeneic PBML to divide in a mixed lymphocyte fibroblast culture (MLFC) as determined by 3H-thymidine incorporation, although lymphocytes autologous to th...

Fibroblasts are widely distributed cells and are responsible for the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components but also secrete ECM-degrading matrix metalloproteases. A finely balanced equilibrium between deposition and degradation of ECM is essential for structural integrity of tissues. In the past, fibroblasts have typically been understood as a uniform cell population with comparab...

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), comprised of activated fibroblasts or myofibroblasts, are found in stroma surrounding solid tumors; these myofibroblasts promote invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Activation of stromal fibroblasts into myofibroblasts is induced by expression of cystoskeleton protein, palladin, at early stages in tumorigenesis and increases with neoplastic progression....

Stromal fibroblasts are an integral part of the tumor stroma and constantly interact with cancer cells to promote their initiation and progression. However, the role and function of dermal fibroblasts during the early stage of melanoma development remain poorly understood. We, therefore, designed a novel genetic approach to deactivate stromal fibroblasts at the onset of melanoma formation by ta...

BACKGROUND Dermal fibroblasts from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) release excessive amounts of collagen resulting in tissue fibrosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying this pathological activation are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether Notch signalling contributes to the uncontrolled activation of fibroblasts in SSc. METHODS Activation of the Notch pathway w...

Cardiomyocytes form a conducting network that is assumed to be electrically isolated from nonmyocytes in vivo. In cell culture, however, cardiac fibroblasts can contribute to the spread of excitation via functional gap junctions with cardiomyocytes. To assess the ability of fibroblasts to form gap junctions in vivo, we combine in situ detection of connexins in rabbit sinoatrial node (a tissue t...

BACKGROUND Interleukin (IL)-17-producing T lymphocytes play a role in pulmonary fibrosis, but the possible mechanism of IL-17 on lung fibroblasts remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES To explore the role and possible mechanism of IL-17 on lung fibroblasts. METHODS A mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was established by intratracheal administration of 5 mg/kg bleomycin. At 14 days following bleomycin...

It has been shown that fibroblasts within the stroma of malignant tumours can affect the tumour's biological character, influencing such properties as local aggressiveness and metastasis potential. This influence is asserted via paracrine secretion of multiple cell factors, including chemokines. This study demonstrates that both normal keratinocytes and cancer cells can stimulate the secretion ...