| 1. |
- Karén, Jakob, 1973-
(författare)
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The Role of Microvascular Pericytes in the Generation of Pro-fibrotic Connective Tissue Cells : Investigations in vitro and in Reactive Tissues in vivo
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Pericytes are cells of mesenchymal origin located on the abluminal side, juxtapositioned to the endothelial cells in capillaries, venules and small arterioles. They are important for maintaining vessel integrity in resting tissues as well as the formation and stabilization of new vessels. They have been suggested to function as mesenchymal stem cells thereby contributing to the connective tissue cell population in reactive tissues. In this thesis the role of pericytes as progenitors for fibroblasts was further defined both in vitro and in vivo. In the first study connective tissue cells of mesenchymal origin were investigated based on their marker expression and relation to the microvasculature. The expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker for myofibroblasts, was compared to the expression of certain integrins in three reactive conditions in human tissues. There was a co-localization of α-SMA and α1β1 integrins, indicating that α1 integrin was important for acquiring the α-SMA myofibroblast phenotype. To further investigate this, two animal models for carcinoma growth and wound healing using α1 deficient mice were employed. Reduction/lack of α-SMA expressing myofibroblasts substantiated or findings in human tissues, strengthening the hypothesis that the α1 integrin is important for the differentiation of α-SMA expressing myofibroblasts. In study two the effects of the HDAC inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) on pericyte function in vitro was investigated. This revealed that VPA had an inhibitory effect on pericyte proliferation, migration and differentiation into collagen type I producing fibroblasts. In addition qPCR array studies on angiogenesis related gene expression identified an up-regulation of genes involved in vessel stabilization in VPA treated pericytes. This suggests that VPA promotes a pericyte phenotype favoring vessel stability. In study three the differentiation from early mesenchymal stem cell like pericyte to fully differentiated fibroblast was further defined by flow cytometry marker analysis. By isolating pericytes from human placenta with a phenotype resembling the in vivo phenotype the differentiation pathway could be defined in five consecutive steps. The five steps were defined by their marker expression and their ability to give rise to the other cell populations in the differentiation lineage, as well as their slow cycling characteristics. A better understanding of how connective tissue cells are derived in fibrotic conditions may be beneficial in trying to modulate the outcome of the healing process towards optimal tissue regeneration with minimal fibrosis.
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| 2. |
- Eklund, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Proteoglycan production in disomic and trisomy 7-carrying human synovial cells.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Matrix Biology. - 1569-1802. ; 21:4, s. 325-335
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To gain further insight into the synthesis and structure of the synovial matrix of joints, we have established cell cultures from synovial specimens and elaborated their production of hyaluronan and proteoglycans. The cultures secreted mainly the small proteoglycan decorin, but also considerable amounts of the related biglycan and the large proteoglycan versican. Only minor amounts of heparan sulfate proteoglycans were found. All cultures also had a high production of hyaluronan, which highlights the important role for normal joint function of these cells. In joint diseases, a common feature is the presence of an extra chromosome 7 (trisomy 7) in the synovial cells. To study the possible consequences of trisomy 7 on the synovial cell function, we extended our study to cultures that had been sub-cloned to contain high amounts of trisomy 7-carrying cells. These cell cultures had approximately four times more versican than their disomic counterparts in the cell culture medium, indicating that versican may be a mediator in the processes of joint destructive disorders. To find an explanation for this increase in versican, we investigated the expression/secretion of PDGF-AA and IL-6, cytokines with their genes located to chromosome 7. Indeed, both these cytokines were increased in the cultures with high frequencies of trisomy 7. We then added the two cytokines to cell cultures of disomic synovial cells, but only cells treated with IL-6 displayed an increased amount of versican. Thus, we suggest that the increased amount of versican in cultures of trisomy 7-carrying cells relates to an autocrine loop involving an increased IL-6 production.
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| 3. |
- Blank Savukinas, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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The Bystander Effect : Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Lung Repair
- 2016
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Ingår i: Stem Cells. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1549-4918 .- 1066-5099. ; 34:6, s. 1437-1444
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSCs), a heterogeneous subset of adult stem/progenitor cells, have surfaced as potential therapeutic units with significant clinical benefit for a wide spectrum of disease conditions, including those affecting the lung. Although MSCs carry both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation abilities, current dogma holds that MSCs mainly contribute to tissue regeneration and repair by modulating the host tissue via secreted cues. Thus, the therapeutic benefit of MSCs is thought to derive from so called bystander effects. The regenerative mechanisms employed by MSCs in the lung include modulation of the immune system as well as promotion of epithelial and endothelial repair. Apart from secreted factors, a number of recent findings suggest that MSCs engage in mitochondrial transfer and shedding of membrane vesicles as a means to enhance tissue repair following injury. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that MSCs are an integral component of epithelial lung stem cell niches. As such, MSCs play an important role in coupling information from the environment to stem and progenitor populations, such that homeostasis can be ensured even in the face of injury. It is the aim of this review to outline the major mechanisms by which MSCs contribute to lung regeneration, synthesizing recent preclinical findings with data from clinical trials and potential for future therapy
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| 4. |
- Tufvesson, Ellen, et al.
(författare)
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Leukotriene receptors are differently expressed in fibroblast from peripheral versus central airways in asthmatics and healthy controls.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. - : Elsevier BV. - 0952-3278. ; 85, s. 67-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotrienes are involved in airway inflammation, and are believed to stimulate airway remodeling in asthma. The aim of the project was to investigate the expression of leukotriene receptors in peripheral and central airway fibroblasts. Peripheral and central airway fibroblasts, from asthmatics and healthy controls, were investigated for the amount of cysteinyl-leukotriene receptors (CysLT(1) and CysLT(2)), leukotriene B(4) receptors (BLT(1) and BLT(2)), IL-13 receptor-α(1) (IL-13Rα(1)) and the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R). The mRNA expression of CysLT(1) in fibroblasts from peripheral airways was higher compared to central airways. There was no difference in CysLT(2) between peripheral and central airways. On the contrary, BLT(1) and BLT(2) were lower in fibroblasts from peripheral airways compared to central. The expression of CysLT(1) was higher than CysLT(2) in fibroblasts from peripheral airways, and the expression of BLT(1) was higher than BLT(2) in both peripheral and central airways. Both BLT(1) and BLT(2) were higher in asthmatics compared to healthy controls, while CysLT(1) and CysLT(2) did not differ. The expression of IL-13Rα(1) was higher in asthmatics compared to controls, and correlated to the BLTs. All fibroblasts stained for the different receptor proteins. Leukotriene receptors are differently expressed in fibroblasts from peripheral compared to central airways, which may explain a suggested cysteinyl-leukotriene driven remodeling mainly in the peripheral airways.
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| 5. |
- Hasan, Mahmudul, et al.
(författare)
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The structure of human dermatan sulfate epimerase 1 emphasizes the importance of C5-epimerization of glucuronic acid in higher organisms
- 2021
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Ingår i: Chemical Science. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2041-6520 .- 2041-6539. ; 12:5, s. 1869-1885
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dermatan sulfate epimerase 1 (DS-epi1, EC 5.1.3.19) catalyzes the conversion of d-glucuronic acid to l-iduronic acid on the polymer level, a key step in the biosynthesis of the glycosaminoglycan dermatan sulfate. Here, we present the first crystal structure of the catalytic domains of DS-epi1, solved at 2.4 Å resolution, as well as a model of the full-length luminal protein obtained by a combination of macromolecular crystallography and targeted cross-linking mass spectrometry. Based on docking studies and molecular dynamics simulations of the protein structure and a chondroitin substrate, we suggest a novel mechanism of DS-epi1, involving a His/double-Tyr motif. Our work uncovers detailed information about the domain architecture, active site, metal-coordinating center and pattern of N-glycosylation of the protein. Additionally, the structure of DS-epi1 reveals a high structural similarity to proteins from several families of bacterial polysaccharide lyases. DS-epi1 is of great importance in a range of diseases, and the structure provides a necessary starting point for design of active site inhibitors.
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| 6. |
- Cheng, Fang, et al.
(författare)
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Differences in the uptake and nuclear localization of anti-proliferative heparan sulfate between human lung fibroblasts and human lung carcinoma cells
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0730-2312 .- 1097-4644. ; 83:4, s. 597-606
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heparan sulfate inhibits the proliferation of normal human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) but not of a human lung carcinoma cell-line (A549). in this study we investigated possible mechanisms and structural requirements by which anti proliferative heparan sulfates exerts its effects on binding, uptake and subcellular localisation. Both HFL-1 and A549 cells were incubated with I-125- or rhodamine-labeled L-iduronate-rich antiproliferative heparan sulfate species as well as L-iduronate-poor inactive ones. The anti proliferative heparan sulfate was bound to the cell surface on both HFL-1 and A549 cells, but to a lesser extent and with less affinity to A549 cells. Both cell types bound the anti proliferative heparan sulfate with one high- and with one low affinity site. The L-iduronate-poor heparan sulfate bound to a lesser extent and with less affinity to both cell types compared to the anti proliferative heparan sulfate. The antiproliferative heparan sulfate accumulated in the cytoplasm of HFL-1 cells after 24 h incubation, but after 72 h it was found evenly distributed in the nucleus. The time-scale for anti proliferative activity correlated with nuclear localization. In contrast, in A549 cells it was only found near the nuclear membrane. The inactive heparan sulfate was taken up in considerably smaller amounts compared to the antiproliferative heparan sulfate and could not be detected in the nucleus of either HFL-1 or A549 cells. Our data suggest that the anti proliferative activity of L-iduronate-rich heparan sulfate on normal fibroblasts may be due to direct effects on nuclear processes, such as gene transcription.
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| 7. |
- Hallgren, Oskar, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced ROCK1 dependent contractility in fibroblast from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Translational Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1479-5876. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: During wound healing processes fibroblasts account for wound closure by adopting a contractile phenotype. One disease manifestation of COPD is emphysema which is characterized by destruction of alveolar walls and our hypothesis is that fibroblasts in the COPD lungs differentiate into a more contractile phenotype as a response to the deteriorating environment. Methods: Bronchial (central) and parenchymal (distal) fibroblasts were isolated from lung explants from COPD patients (n = 9) (GOLD stage IV) and from biopsies from control subjects and from donor lungs (n = 12). Tissue-derived fibroblasts were assessed for expression of proteins involved in fibroblast contraction by western blotting whereas contraction capacity was measured in three-dimensional collagen gels. Results: The basal expression of rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) was increased in both centrally and distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients compared to fibroblasts from control subjects (p < 0.001) and (p < 0.01), respectively. Distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients had increased contractile capacity compared to control fibroblasts (p < 0.01). The contraction was dependent on ROCK1 activity as the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 dose-dependently blocked contraction in fibroblasts from COPD patients. ROCK1-positive fibroblasts were also identified by immunohistochemistry in the alveolar parenchyma in lung tissue sections from COPD patients. Conclusions: Distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients have an enhanced contractile phenotype that is dependent on ROCK1 activity. This feature may be of importance for the elastic dynamics of small airways and the parenchyma in late stages of COPD.
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Märta, et al.
(författare)
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Mycobacterium bovis bacilli Calmette-Guerin regulates leukocyte recruitment by modulating alveolar inflammatory responses.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Innate Immunity. - : SAGE Publications. - 1753-4267 .- 1753-4259. ; 18, s. 531-540
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukocyte migration into the epithelial compartment is an important feature in the active phase of mycobacterial infections. In this study, we used the Transwell model to investigate the mechanisms behind mycobacteria-induced leukocyte recruitment and investigated the role of TLR2 and TLR4 in this process. Infection of epithelial cells resulted in significantly increased secretion of the neutrophil chemotactic CXCL8 and IL-6, but no secretion of monocyte chemotactic CCL2 or TNF-α was observed. In contrast to epithelial response, mycobacteria-infected neutrophils and monocytes secreted all these cytokines. Corresponding with epithelial cytokine response, mycobacterial infection of the epithelial cells increased neutrophil diapedesis, but decreased monocyte recruitment. However, monocyte recruitment towards mycobacteria infected epithelial cells significantly increased following addition of neutrophil pre-conditioned medium. Mycobacterial infection also increases alveolar epithelial expression of TLR2, but not TLR4, as analyzed by flow cytometry, Western blotting and visualized by confocal microscopy. Blocking of TLR2 inhibited neutrophil recruitment and cytokine secretion, while blocking of TLR4 had a lesser effect. To summarize, we found that primary alveolar epithelial cells produced a selective TLR2-dependent cytokine secretion upon mycobacterial infection. Furthermore, we found that cooperation between cells of the innate immunity is required in mounting proper antimicrobial defence.
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| 9. |
- Wijk, Sofia C., et al.
(författare)
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Ciliated (FOXJ1+) Cells Display Reduced Ferritin Light Chain in the Airways of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cells. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4409. ; 11:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cell-based therapies hold great promise in re-establishing organ function for many diseases, including untreatable lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, many hurdles still remain, in part due to our lack of knowledge about the disease-driving mechanisms that may affect the cellular niche and thereby possibly hinder the function of any transplanted cells by imposing the disease phenotype onto the newly generated progeny. Recent findings have demonstrated increased ciliation of lung cells from IPF patients, but how this affects ciliated cell function and the airway milieu is not well-known. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on primary ciliated (FOJ1+) cells isolated from IPF patients and from healthy control donors. The sequencing identified multiple biological processes, such as cilium morphogenesis and cell signaling, that were significantly changed between IPF and healthy ciliated cells. Ferritin light chain (FTL) was downregulated in IPF, which suggests that iron metabolism may be affected in the IPF ciliated cells. The RNA expression was confirmed at the protein level with histological localization in lung tissue, prompting future functional assays to reveal the potential role of FTL. Taken together, our data demonstrate the importance of careful analyses in pure cell populations to better understand the IPF disease mechanism.
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| 10. |
- Bagher, Mariam, et al.
(författare)
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Mast cells and mast cell tryptase enhance migration of human lung fibroblasts through protease-activated receptor 2
- 2018
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Ingår i: Cell Communication and Signaling. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-811X. ; 16:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Mast cells may activate fibroblasts and contribute to remodeling processes in the lung. However, the mechanism behind these actions needs to be further investigated. Fibroblasts are major regulators of on-going remodeling processes. Protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) expressed by fibroblasts may be activated by serine proteases, such as the mast cell mediator tryptase. The objective in this study was to investigate the effects of mast cells and specifically mast cell tryptase on fibroblast migration and the role of PAR2 activation. Methods: Human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) were cultured together with human peripheral blood-derived mast cells or LAD2 mast cells and stimulated with either conditioned medium from LAD2 cells or tryptase. Analyses of immunological stimulation of mast cells by IgE/anti IgE in the co-culture system were also performed. The importance of PAR2 activation by mast cells and mast cell tryptase for the migratory effects of fibroblasts was investigated by pre-treatment with the PAR2 antagonist P2pal-18S. The expression of PAR2 was analyzed on fibroblasts and mast cells. Results: The migratory capacity of HFL-1 cells was enhanced by blood-derived mast cells (p < 0.02), LAD2 cells (p < 0.001), conditioned medium (p < 0.05) and tryptase (p < 0.006). P2pal-18S decreased the induced migration caused by mast cells (p < 0.001) and tryptase (p < 0.001) and the expression of PAR2 was verified in HFL-1 cells. Mast cells immunologically stimulated with IgE/Anti IgE had no further effects on fibroblast migration. Conclusions: Mast cells and the mast cell mediator tryptase may have crucial roles in inducing lung fibroblast migration via PAR-2 activation, which may contribute to remodeling processes in chronic lung diseases.
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