Fibrocytes in pulmonary fibrosis: a brief synopsis

Abstract

Fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived, circulating mesenchymal progenitor cells that play a role in several fibrotic disorders, including lung fibrosis. They are attracted to injured tissue by various chemokines. It is likely that fibrocytes play a detrimental role in tissue homeostasis and promote fibrosis, although this paradigm needs further confirmation. This would make fibrocytes a possible novel treatment target for fibrotic disorders. Fibrocytes also have some potential as a biomarker for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases, but the promising preliminary data from single centre studies still require independent validation. Despite several, as yet, unresolved issues, it has become clear that fibrocytes are more than an incidental finding in lung injury and repair, and may hold great promise for the future of IPF management

Cellular interactions in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases

“…The expression levels of CXCR4 and its ligand, CXCL12, are highly upregulated in SSc-ILD [37] and IPF lung tissue [39]. In summary, these data suggest that the blockade of fibrocyte recruitment to the site of injury could represent a potential therapeutical target [40].…”

The wound healing, chronic fibrosis, and cancer progression triad

“…The chemotactic properties of CXCL12 have also been documented during mobilization of fibrocytes from the bone marrow to the lungs (284), which in concert with other chemokines contribute to aggravate pulmonary fibrosis (230). Moreover, the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis has been shown to trigger prostate myofibroblastic differentiation in vitro, suggesting a role in fibrosis (109).…”

Osthole Alleviates Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis <i>via</i> Modulating Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/Angiotensin-(1–7) Axis and Decreasing Inflammation Responses in Rats

“…It is well known that PF can be resulted from various lung insults or injuries, and the etiologies including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, irradiation-induced pneumonitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and drug-related lung disorders (Maharaj et al 13) and Kuba et al…”

“…20) Inflammatory cytokines play important roles in recruiting cells to the site of lung injury, promoting extracellular matrix accumulation, and even participating in epithelial to mesenchymal transition. 13,21,22) On the other hand, ANG II plays as a powerful inducer of DNA synthesis and fibroblast proliferation.…”