Neuroepithelial body increases in bleomycin-treated mice

Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2014 Mar 1:193:52-4. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2014.01.002. Epub 2014 Jan 10.

Abstract

Neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) serve a niche for lung stem cells and proliferate in a variety of pulmonary diseases. We hypothesize that NEBs play an important role in lung injury repair processes, such as during pulmonary fibrosis. To test this hypothesis, we examined NEBs in a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis mouse model. We divided FVB/NJ mice into bleomycin-treated (BL) and normal saline-treated (NS) groups. Two weeks after intravenous treatment, we immune-stained NEBs with anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in whole mount preparations and found that the number of NEBs per unit area of airway almost tripled in the BL group (1.11±0.28 number/mm(2); n=5) compared with the NS group (0.32±0.14 number/mm(2); n=4, p=0.001). The size of NEBs increased significantly in the BL group. Our findings support that NEBs play an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

Keywords: Mouse; Neuroepithelial body; Pulmonary fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bleomycin
  • Bronchioles / metabolism
  • Bronchioles / pathology*
  • Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neuroepithelial Bodies / metabolism
  • Neuroepithelial Bodies / pathology*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology*
  • Trachea / metabolism
  • Trachea / pathology*

Substances

  • Bleomycin
  • Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide