Immunophenotypical characterization of macrophages in rat bleomycin-induced scleroderma.
Vet Pathol
; 50(1): 76-85, 2013 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22700848
ABSTRACT
Scleroderma is a skin disorder characterized by persistent fibrosis. Macrophage properties influencing cutaneous fibrogenesis remain to be fully elucidated. In this rat (F344 rats) model of scleroderma, at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after initiation of daily subcutaneous injections of bleomycin (BLM; 100 µl of 1 mg/ml daily), skin samples were collected for histological and immunohistochemical evaluations. Immunohistochemically, the numbers of cells reacting to ED1 (anti-CD68; phagocytic activity) and ED2 (anti-CD163; inflammatory factor production) began to increase at week 1, peaked at week 2, and decreased thereafter. In contrast, the increased number of cells reacting to OX6 (anti-MHC class II molecules) was seen from week 2 and remained elevated until week 4. α-Smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts were increased for 4 weeks. Double labeling revealed that galectin-3, a regulator of fibrogenic factor TGF-ß1, was expressed in CD68+, CD163+, and MHC class II+ macrophages and myofibroblasts. mRNA expression of TGF-ß1, as well as MCP-1 and CSF-1 (both macrophage function modulators), were significantly elevated at weeks 1 to 4. This study shows that the increased number of macrophages with heterogeneous immunophenotypes, which might be induced by MCP-1 and CSF-1, could participate in the sclerotic lesion formation, presumably through increased fibrogenic factors such as galectin-3 and TGF-ß1; the data may provide useful information to understand the pathogenesis of the human scleroderma condition.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Scleroderma, Localized
/
Bleomycin
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Galectin 3
/
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
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Macrophages
/
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Vet Pathol
Year:
2013
Document type:
Article