{"title":"Sustained amphiregulin expression in intermediate alveolar stem cells drives progressive fibrosis","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.stem.2024.07.004","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal fibrotic disease. Recent studies have highlighted the persistence of an intermediate state of alveolar stem cells in IPF lungs. In this study, we discovered a close correlation between the distribution pattern of intermediate alveolar stem cells and the progression of fibrotic changes. We showed that amphiregulin (AREG) expression is significantly elevated in intermediate alveolar stem cells of mouse fibrotic lungs and IPF patients. High levels of serum AREG correlate significantly with profound deteriorations in lung function in IPF patients. We demonstrated that AREG in alveolar stem cells is both required and sufficient for activating EGFR in fibroblasts, thereby driving lung fibrosis. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of AREG using a neutralizing antibody effectively blocked the initiation and progression of lung fibrosis in mice. Our study underscores the therapeutic potential of anti-AREG antibodies in attenuating IPF progression, offering a promising strategy for treating fibrotic diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":9665,"journal":{"name":"Cell stem cell","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":19.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cell stem cell","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2024.07.004","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CELL & TISSUE ENGINEERING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal fibrotic disease. Recent studies have highlighted the persistence of an intermediate state of alveolar stem cells in IPF lungs. In this study, we discovered a close correlation between the distribution pattern of intermediate alveolar stem cells and the progression of fibrotic changes. We showed that amphiregulin (AREG) expression is significantly elevated in intermediate alveolar stem cells of mouse fibrotic lungs and IPF patients. High levels of serum AREG correlate significantly with profound deteriorations in lung function in IPF patients. We demonstrated that AREG in alveolar stem cells is both required and sufficient for activating EGFR in fibroblasts, thereby driving lung fibrosis. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of AREG using a neutralizing antibody effectively blocked the initiation and progression of lung fibrosis in mice. Our study underscores the therapeutic potential of anti-AREG antibodies in attenuating IPF progression, offering a promising strategy for treating fibrotic diseases.
期刊介绍:
Cell Stem Cell is a comprehensive journal covering the entire spectrum of stem cell biology. It encompasses various topics, including embryonic stem cells, pluripotency, germline stem cells, tissue-specific stem cells, differentiation, epigenetics, genomics, cancer stem cells, stem cell niches, disease models, nuclear transfer technology, bioengineering, drug discovery, in vivo imaging, therapeutic applications, regenerative medicine, clinical insights, research policies, ethical considerations, and technical innovations. The journal welcomes studies from any model system providing insights into stem cell biology, with a focus on human stem cells. It publishes research reports of significant importance, along with review and analysis articles covering diverse aspects of stem cell research.