American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
-
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Dec 2018
Increased Extracellular Vesicles Mediate WNT-5A Signaling in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Rationale: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal lung disease characterized by lung epithelial cell injury, increased (myo)fibroblast activation, and extracellular matrix deposition. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) regulate intercellular communication by carrying a variety of signaling mediators, including WNT (wingless/integrated) proteins. The relevance of EVs in pulmonary fibrosis and their potential contribution to disease pathogenesis, however, remain unexplored. ⋯ Similarly, EVs from IPF BALF induced phLF proliferation, which was mediated by WNT5A. Conclusions: Increased EVs function as carriers for signaling mediators, such as WNT5A, in IPF and thus contribute to disease pathogenesis. Characterization of EV secretion and composition may lead to novel approaches to diagnose and develop treatments for pulmonary fibrosis.