Development of an Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma After Aortic Aneurysm Graft Replacement: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Aortic sarcomas are extremely rare. Sarcomas associated with aortic graft replacement are even rarer; only 17 cases have been examined through immunohistochemical staining to date, most of which were either angiosarcomas or intimal sarcomas. Here, we report the case of an 88-year-old man with an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) that developed after aortic graft replacement and was diagnosed through postmortem autopsy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of graft-associated sarcoma diagnosed as an undifferentiated pleomorphic type following detailed immunohistochemical staining with sufficient antibodies and fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH).

Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma in the Stomach: A Case Report.

Goblet cell adenocarcinoma (GCA) is known as an amphicrine tumor often seen in the appendix. Here, we report a rare case of GCA in the stomach. An 80-year-old man underwent gastroscopy due to epigastric pain and was diagnosed with gastric cancer. He received total gastrectomy and histology showed a mixture of a moderately-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, a mucinous adenocarcinoma, and a tumor composed of goblet-like mucinous cells with neuroendocrine differentiation. The tumor volume ratio was about 4:1:5, respectively, and a final diagnosis of GCA was made. The metastasis of the regional lymph node was occupied by only the component of goblet-like cells. GCA should be recognized as a rare histologic subtype of gastric cancer.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells are resistant to human cytomegalovirus infection primarily at the attachment level due to the reduced expression of cell-surface heparan sulfate.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a type of herpes virus, is the predominant cause of congenital anomalies due to intrauterine infections in humans. Adverse outcomes related to intrauterine infections with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) vary widely, depending on factors such as fetal infection timing, infection route, and viral virulence. The precise mechanism underlying HCMV susceptibility remains unclear. In this study, we compared the susceptibility of neonatal human dermal fibroblast cells (NHDFCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from NHDFCs, which are genetically identical to HCMV, using immunostaining, microarray, in situ hybridization, quantitative PCR, and scanning electron microscopy. These cells were previously used to compare CMV susceptibility, but the underlying mechanisms were not fully elucidated. HCMV susceptibility of hiPSCs was significantly lower in the earliest phase. No shared gene ontologies were observed immediately post-infection between the two cell types using microarray analysis. Early-stage expression of HCMV antigens and the HCMV genome was minimal in immunostaining and in in situ hybridization in hiPSCs. This strongly suggests that HCMV does not readily bind to hiPSC surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy performed using the NanoSuit method confirmed the scarcity of HCMV particles on hiPSC surfaces. The zeta potential and charge mapping of the charged surface in NHDFCs and hiPSCs exhibited minimal differences when assessed using zeta potential analyzer and scanning ion conductance microscopy; however, the expression of heparan sulfate (HS) was significantly lower in hiPSCs compared with that in NHDFCs. Thus, HS expression could be a primary determinant of HCMV resistance in hiPSCs at the attachment level. IMPORTANCE: Numerous factors such as attachment, virus particle entry, transcription, and virus particle egress can affect viral susceptibility. Since 1984, pluripotent cells are known to be CMV resistant; however, the exact mechanism underlying this resistance remains elusive. Some researchers suggest inhibition in the initial phase of HCMV binding, while others have suggested the possibility of a sufficient amount of HCMV entering the cells to establish latency. This study demonstrates that HCMV particles rarely attach to the surfaces of hiPSCs. This is not due to limitations in the electrostatic interactions between the surface of hiPSCs and HCMV particles, but due to HS expression. Therefore, HS expression should be recognized as a key factor in determining the susceptibility of HCMV in congenital infection in vitro and in vivo. In the future, drugs targeting HS may become crucial for the treatment of congenital CMV infections. Thus, further research in this area is warranted.

An autopsy case of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow from esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Key Clinical Message: Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow is rare. We present such a case, which is useful for raising awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of carcinomas complicated by disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow. Abstract: This is the first autopsy report of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow (DCBM) in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Advanced poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell carcinoma arising in Barrett's esophagus caused disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with extensive bone marrow metastasis, resulting in death from cerebral hemorrhage. Although DCBM due to malignancy is rare with poor prognosis, it should be considered in malignancies associated with DIC, and prompt initiation of chemotherapy is the only way to improve the patient's prognosis.

Retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of human cytomegalovirus infection in the placenta and its association with fetal growth restriction.

Objectives: Fetal human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection might be involved in fetal growth restriction (FGR). Maternal serostatus and the prevalence of congenital HCMV infection are affected by various factors, such as socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Therefore, the prevalence of congenital HCMV-related FGR should be examined in each region. Methods: Seventy-eight cases of FGR with delivery between January 2012 and January 2017 at Fujita Health University Hospital were studied. Twenty-one non-FGR cases were also included as a control group. Placental sections obtained from the FGR and control cases were immunostained with two primary antibodies for detecting immediate early antigens. Results: Nineteen placental samples from FGR cases with another etiology were excluded. Finally, 59 placental samples from FGR cases of unknown etiology were included in the pathological analysis. Four of 59 (6.8%) placental samples were positive for HCMV antigen. All four positive cases were stained with the M0854 antibody, and there were no positive case with the MAB810R antibody. Neither maternal nor infantile clinical features were different between the HCMV-positive and -negative FGR cases. A pathological examination showed a hematoma in three of four cases and infarction in two of four cases. Conclusions: HCMV antigen was detected in 6.8% of placental samples obtained from FGR cases without an obvious etiology. No remarkable maternal or neonatal clinical features discriminated HCMV-related FGR from FGR due to other causes. Vasculitis and inflammation might play important roles in the pathogenesis of HCMV-related FGR.

Accurate deep learning model using semi-supervised learning and Noisy Student for cervical cancer screening in low magnification images.

Deep learning technology has been used in the medical field to produce devices for clinical practice. Deep learning methods in cytology offer the potential to enhance cancer screening while also providing quantitative, objective, and highly reproducible testing. However, constructing high-accuracy deep learning models necessitates a significant amount of manually labeled data, which takes time. To address this issue, we used the Noisy Student Training technique to create a binary classification deep learning model for cervical cytology screening, which reduces the quantity of labeled data necessary. We used 140 whole-slide images from liquid-based cytology specimens, 50 of which were low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 50 were high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 40 were negative samples. We extracted 56,996 images from the slides and then used them to train and test the model. We trained the EfficientNet using 2,600 manually labeled images to generate additional pseudo labels for the unlabeled data and then self-trained it within a student-teacher framework. Based on the presence or absence of abnormal cells, the created model was used to classify the images as normal or abnormal. The Grad-CAM approach was used to visualize the image components that contributed to the classification. The model achieved an area under the curve of 0.908, accuracy of 0.873, and F1-score of 0.833 with our test data. We also explored the optimal confidence threshold score and optimal augmentation approaches for low-magnification images. Our model efficiently classified normal and abnormal images at low magnification with high reliability, making it a promising screening tool for cervical cytology.

Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy Caused by Metastatic Ovarian Cancer: An Antemortem Diagnosis with Pulmonary Aspiration Cytopathology.

A 48-year-old woman with advanced ovarian cancer was diagnosed with pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) by antemortem pulmonary wedge aspiration cytopathology. Despite the initiation of anti-cancer treatment, she unfortunately died due to progressive respiratory failure. Histopathology of the autopsied lung revealed multiple tumor embolization with fibrin-rich clot and fibro-cellular intimal proliferation at the pulmonary arteriole. The embolized tumor showed strong immune-positivity for pro-thrombotic and fibrotic factors (tissue factor and vascular endothelial growth factor), suggesting the underlying mechanisms of PTTM development. This case suggests that a quick antemortem diagnosis and the early induction of specific treatments might ensure a better prognosis of PTTM.

Identifying Active Progeny Virus Particles in Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Sections Using Correlative Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks is routinely used to identify virus-infected cells. However, detecting virus particles in FFPE sections using light microscopy is difficult because of the light diffraction resolution limitations of an optical microscope. In this study, light microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were performed to observe 3-dimensional virus particles in FFPE sections in a nondestructive manner using NanoSuit or osmium conductive treatment methods. The virus particles in FFPE sections were immunostained with specific antibodies against the surface antigens of the viral particles and stained with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine. A metal solution (0.2% gold chloride or 2% osmium tetroxide) was applied to enhance the 3,3'-diaminobenzidine-stained area. This procedure is nondestructive for FFPE sections and is a simpler method than transmission electron microscopy. To validate the applicability of this technique, we performed 3-dimensional imaging of the virus particles of different sizes, such as human papillomavirus, cytomegalovirus, and varicella-zoster virus. Furthermore, ultrathin sections from the FFPE sections that were observed to harbor viral particles using field emission scanning electron microscopy were prepared and assessed using transmission electron microscopy. In the correlative areas, transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of large numbers of virus particles. These results indicated that the combination of marking viral particles with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine/metal staining and conductive treatment can identify active progeny virus particles in FFPE sections using scanning electron microscopy. This easy correlative imaging of field emission scanning electron microscopy of the identical area of FFPE in light microscopy may help elucidate new pathological mechanisms of virus-related diseases.

The potential of a universal influenza virus-like particle vaccine expressing a chimeric cytokine.

The efficacy of the current influenza vaccines is frequently reduced because of antigenic drift, a trade-off of developing improved vaccines with broad cross-protective activity against influenza A viruses. In this study, we have successfully constructed a chimeric cytokine (CC) comprising the M2 protein, influenza A neuraminidase stalk, and interleukin-12. We produced virus-like particles (VLPs) containing CC and influenza hemagglutinin (HA) proteins using a baculovirus system in Eri silkworm pupae. The protective efficacy of the CCHA-VLP vaccine was evaluated in mice. The CCFkH5HA-VLP vaccine increased the survival rates of BALB/c mice, infected with a lethal dose of PRH1 and HKH5 viruses, to 80% and 100%, respectively. The results suggested that CCHA-VLP successfully induced potent cross-reactive protective immunity against infection with homologous and heterologous subtypes of the influenza A virus. This is the first study to design a CC-containing HA-VLP vaccine and validate its protective efficacy.

An autopsy case of ovarian mucinous cystic tumor complicated by ovarian abscess and a review of the English literature.

Ovarian tumors are rarely associated with abscesses. Herein, an autopsy case of an ovarian mucinous cystic tumor complicated by an abscess, along with a review of previous cases, suggests the necessity of considering ovarian abscess as a cause of inflammation in patients with the ovarian tumors.

Behçet's Disease with Bilateral Renal Infarction Due to Mucormycosis.

We herein report a case of Behçet's disease with renal infarction due to mucormycosis. A 76-year-old man with entero-Behçet's disease had been treated with glucocorticoid and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. His entero-Behçet's disease was refractory to these treatments, and ileocecal resection was performed. After the operation, renal infarction that was unresponsive to anticoagulation therapy developed. He ultimately died of renal failure due to renal infarction. At the autopsy, histopathology of abundant hyphae in the renal vessel wall revealed mucormycosis. Renal mucormycosis is an important cause of renal failure with renal infarction in immunocompromised patients.

Metformin reduces pleural fibroelastosis by inhibition of extracellular matrix production induced by CD90-positive myofibroblasts.

Metformin, an AMP-activated protein kinase activator used to treat diabetes mellitus, has recently attracted attention as a promising anti-fibrotic agent. However, its anti-fibrotic effects on pleural fibroelastosis remain unknown. We induced mouse pleural fibroelastosis by intra-pleural coadministration of bleomycin and carbon and evaluated its validity as a preclinical model for human pleural fibrosis. We assessed the expression of the myofibroblast surface marker CD90 in the fibrotic pleura and the effects of metformin in vivo and in vitro. Finally, we evaluated the effects of metformin on human pleural mesothelial cells stimulated by transforming growth factor ß1 (TGFß1). The fibrotic pleura in mice had collagen and elastin fiber deposition similar to that seen in human fibrotic pleura. Moreover, CD90-positive myofibroblasts were detected in and successfully isolated from the fibrotic pleura. Metformin significantly suppressed the deposition of collagen and elastic fibers in the fibrotic pleura and decreased the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes, including Col1a1, Col3a1, Fn1, and Eln, in pleural CD90-positive myofibroblasts. In human pleural mesothelial cells, metformin decreased TGFß1-induced upregulation of ECM-related genes and SNAI1. Overall, metformin suppresses pleural fibroelastosis by inhibition of ECM production by pleural myofibroblasts, suggesting that this drug has therapeutic potential against human pleural fibrosis, including pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis.

Prevalence of UL97 gene mutations and polymorphisms in cytomegalovirus infection in the colon associated with or without ulcerative colitis.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in the colon is common in patients with severe ulcerative colitis (UC). Ganciclovir (GCV) resistance conferring CMV UL97 gene mutations have been reported in recent years. However, the prevalence of UL97 gene mutations in GCV-naive CMV infection in the colon remains unknown. We investigated the prevalence of CMV UL97 gene mutations in patients with colonic CMV infection associated with or without UC. Twenty-two GCV-naive patients with colonic CMV infection, 15 with UC and 7 with other diseases, were enrolled. Frozen biopsy samples or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were used for nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the UL97 gene. Sanger DNA sequencing was performed. In comparison with AD169 reference strain, natural polymorphisms were frequently detected in codons N68D (100%), I244V (100%), and D605E (86.4%). Seven polymorphisms were detected infrequently (< 10%) outside the kinase domain. However, no known GCV resistance mutations were found. There seemed to be no difference between the ratio of polymorphisms in patients with and without UC. In conclusions, we did not detect UL97 gene mutations associated with GCV resistance in GCV-naive patients with or without UC. Consistent with previous reports, D605E polymorphism may be used as a genetic marker for CMV in East Asian countries.

Diagnosis of Ion-Exchange Resin Depositions in Paraffin Sections Using Corrective Light and Electron Microscopy-NanoSuit Method.

Ion-exchange resins are commonly used to treat complications such as hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Gastrointestinal complications may occur as side effects of such treatments. Sodium and calcium polystyrene sulfonate (PS-Ca) are cation-exchange resins comprising an insoluble structure that binds to potassium ions in the digestive tract and exchanges them with sodium and calcium ions, respectively, to promote their elimination. PS crystals are rhomboid, refractive, and basophilic in hematoxylin and eosin staining. To differentiate PS crystals from other ion-exchange resin crystals such as sevelamer and cholestyramine, periodic acid-Schiff, Ziehl-Neelsen, and Congo red staining are usually performed. Here, correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM)-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and the NanoSuit method (CENM) was applied to perform a definitive identification of ion-exchange resins. CENM could detect sulfur in PS crystals without destroying the glass slides. Notably, PS retained its ion-exchange ability to bind potassium in paraffin sections. Differential diagnosis of anion-exchange resins, such as sevelamer and cholestyramine, was possible using these characteristics. The phosphorus:carbon ratio was higher in sevelamer than in cholestyramine after soaking paraffin sections in a phosphate solution. Therefore, CENM may be used for the differential pathological diagnosis of ion-exchange resins in paraffin sections.

Difference in the distribution of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and FOXP3+ T cells between micronodular thymoma with lymphoid stroma and micronodular thymic carcinoma with lymphoid stroma.

Micronodular thymoma with lymphoid stroma (MNT) is a rare thymic epithelial neoplasm subtype characterized by a micronodular tumor cell growth pattern and abundant lymphoid stroma. Micronodular thymic carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (MNCA) is considered as a malignant counterpart of MNT and exhibits a growth pattern similar to that of MNT but has histologic features reminiscent of thymic squamous cell carcinoma, such as cytologic atypia and CD5 and CD117 immunoexpression. Although both MNT and MNCA are characterized by abundant lymphoid stroma, it remains unknown whether there are differences in infiltrating lymphocytes between MNT and MNCA. We analyzed the immune microenvironment profile in eight MNT and three MNCA cases. The cell density of CD8-positive T cells was significantly higher in MNT than in MNCA, whereas that of FOXP3-positive T cells was significantly higher in MNCA than in MNT. There was no significant difference in the cell density of programmed death protein 1-positive T cells and programmed death ligand 1 expression between the MNT and MNCA cases. Our findings indicated that the immune microenvironment of MNCA differed from that of MNT and, compared with the T-cell profile of MNT, that of MNCA was more suppressive to patients' antitumor immune response.

Gremlin-1 for the Differential Diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Versus Other Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Clinical and Pathophysiological Analysis.

PURPOSE: The differential diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) versus other non-IPF ILDs, is important for selecting the appropriate treatment. This retrospective study aimed to explore the utility of gremlin-1 for the differential diagnosis. METHODS: Serum gremlin-1 concentrations were measured using an ELISA in 50 patients with IPF, 42 patients with non-IPF ILD, and 30 healthy controls. The baseline clinical data, including pulmonary functions, prognosis, and three serum biomarkers (Krebs von den Lungen-6 [KL6], surfactant protein-D [SP-D], and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH]), were obtained through a medical record review for analyzing their associations with serum gremlin-1 concentrations. To evaluate the origin of gremlin-1, we performed immunostaining on lung sections. RESULTS: Serum gremlin-1 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with IPF (mean concentration, 14.4 ng/mL), followed by those with non-IPF ILD (8.8 ng/mL) and healthy controls (1.6 ng/mL). The area under the curve for IPF versus non-IPF ILDs was 0.759 (95% confidence interval, 0.661-0.857), which was superior to that of KL6/SP-D/LDH. The sensitivity and specificity for gremlin-1 (cutoff, 10.4 ng/mL) was 72 and 69%, respectively. By contrast, serum gremlin-1 concentrations were not associated with the pulmonary functions nor the prognosis in all patients with ILDs. In immunostaining, the gremlin-1 was broadly upregulated in IPF lungs, particularly at myofibroblasts, bronchiolar/alveolar epithelium, and CD163-positive M2-like macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Gremlin-1 may be a useful biomarker to improve the diagnostic accuracy for IPF compared to non-IPF ILDs, suggesting a role of this molecule in the pathogenesis of IPF.

Prolonged activation of cytomegalovirus early gene e1-promoter exclusively in neurons during infection of the developing cerebrum.

The brain is the major target of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. It is possible that neuron disorder in the developing brain is a critical factor in the development of neuropsychiatric diseases in later life. Previous studies using mouse model of murine CMV (MCMV) infection demonstrated that the viral early antigen (E1 as a product of e1 gene) persists in the postnatal neurons of the hippocampus (HP) and cerebral cortex (CX) after the disappearance of lytic infection from non-neuronal cells in the periventricular (PV) region. Furthermore, neuron-specific activation of the MCMV-e1-promoter (e1-pro) was found in the cerebrum of transgenic mice carrying the e1-pro-lacZ reporter construct. In this study, in order to elucidate the mechanisms of e1-pro activation in cerebral neurons during actual MCMV infection, we have generated the recombinant MCMV (rMCMV) carrying long e1-pro1373- or short e1-pro448-EGFP reporter constructs. The length of the former, 1373 nucleotides (nt), is similar to that of transgenic mice. rMCMVs and wild type MCMV did not significantly differed in terms of viral replication or E1 expression. rMCMV-infected mouse embryonic fibroblasts showed lytic infection and activation of both promoters, while virus-infected cerebral neurons in primary neuronal cultures demonstrated the non-lytic and persistent infection as well as the activation of e1-pro-1373, but not -448. In the rMCMV-infected postnatal cerebrum, lytic infection and the activation of both promoters were found in non-neuronal cells of the PV region until postnatal 8 days (P8), but these disappeared at P12, while the activation of e1-pro-1373, but not -448 appeared in HP and CX neurons at P8 and were prolonged exclusively in these neurons at P12, with preservation of the neuronal morphology. Therefore, e1-pro-448 is sufficient to activate E1 expression in non-neuronal cells, however, the upstream sequence from nt -449 to -1373 in e1-pro-1373 is supposed to work as an enhancer necessary for the neuron-specific activation of e1-pro, particularly around the second postnatal week. This unique activation of e1-pro in developing cerebral neurons may be an important factor in the neurodevelopmental disorders induced by congenital CMV infection.

Prohibitin-1 Contributes to Cell-to-Cell Transmission of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 via the MAPK/ERK Signaling Pathway.

Viral cell-to-cell spread, a method employed by several viral families for entrance via cell junctions, is highly relevant to the pathogenesis of various viral infections. Cell-to-cell spread of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is known to depend greatly on envelope glycoprotein E (gE). However, the molecular mechanism by which gE acts in HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread and the mechanisms of cell-to-cell spread by other herpesviruses remain poorly understood. Here, we describe our identification of prohibitin-1 as a novel gE-interacting host cell protein. Ectopic expression of prohibitin-1 increased gE-dependent HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread. As observed with the gE-null mutation, decreased expression or pharmacological inhibition of prohibitin-1 reduced HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread without affecting the yield of virus progeny. Similar effects were produced by pharmacological inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway, wherein prohibitin-1 acts as a protein scaffold and is required for induction of this pathway. Furthermore, artificial activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway restored HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread impaired by the gE-null mutation. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of prohibitins or the MAPK/ERK pathway reduced viral cell-to-cell spread of representative members in all herpesvirus subfamilies. Our results suggest that prohibitin-1 contributes to gE-dependent HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread via the MAPK/ERK pathway and that this mechanism is conserved throughout the Herpesviridae, whereas gE is conserved only in the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily.IMPORTANCE Herpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens of various animals, including humans. These viruses primarily pass through cell junctions to spread to uninfected cells. This method of cell-to-cell spread is an important pathogenic characteristic of these viruses. Here, we show that the host cell protein prohibitin-1 contributes to HSV-1 cell-to-cell spread via a downstream intracellular signaling cascade, the MAPK/ERK pathway. We also demonstrate that the role of the prohibitin-1-mediated MAPK/ERK pathway in viral cell-to-cell spread is conserved in representative members of every herpesvirus subfamily. This study has revealed a common molecular mechanism of the cell-to-cell spread of herpesviruses.

CD248 and integrin alpha-8 are candidate markers for differentiating lung fibroblast subtypes.

BACKGROUND: Lung fibrosis is a serious life-threatening condition whose manifestation varies according to the localization and characteristics of fibroblasts, which are considered heterogeneous. Therefore, to better understand the pathology and improve diagnosis and treatment of this disease, it is necessary to elucidate the nature of this heterogeneity and identify markers for the accurate classification of human lung fibroblast subtypes. METHODS: We characterized distinct mouse lung fibroblast subpopulations isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and performed microarray analysis to identify molecular markers that could be useful for human lung fibroblast classification. Based on the expression of these markers, we evaluated the fibroblast-like cell subtype localization in normal human lung samples and lung samples from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). RESULTS: Mouse lung fibroblasts were classified into Sca-1high fibroblasts and Sca-1low fibroblasts by in vitro biological analyses. Through microarray analysis, we demonstrated CD248 and integrin alpha-8 (ITGA8) as cell surface markers for Sca-1high fibroblasts and Sca-1low fibroblasts, respectively. In mouse lungs, Sca-1high fibroblasts and Sca-1low fibroblasts were localized in the collagen fiber-rich connective tissue and elastic fiber-rich connective tissue, respectively. In normal human lungs and IPF lungs, two corresponding major fibroblast-like cell subtypes were identified: CD248highITGA8low fibroblast-like cells and CD248lowITGA8high fibroblast-like cells, localized in the collagen fiber-rich connective tissue and in the elastic fiber-rich connective tissue, respectively. CONCLUSION: CD248highITGA8low fibroblast-like cells and CD248lowITGA8high fibroblast-like cells were localized in an almost exclusive manner in human lung specimens. This human lung fibroblast classification using two cell surface markers may be helpful for further detailed investigations of the functions of lung fibroblast subtypes, which can provide new insights into lung development and the pathological processes underlying fibrotic lung diseases.