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Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) mediate organ repair. Lung epithelial cell overexpression of Fgf10 postbleomycin injury is both protective and therapeutic, characterized by increased survival and attenuated fibrosis. Exogenous administration of FGF7 (palifermin) also showed prophylactic survival benefits in mice. The role of endogenous Fgfr2b ligands on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis is still elusive. This study reports the expression of endogenous Fgfr2b ligands, receptors, and signaling targets in wild-type mice following bleomycin lung injury. In addition, the impact of attenuating endogenous Fgfr2b-ligands following bleomycin-induced fibrosis was tested by using a doxycycline (dox)-based inducible, soluble, dominant-negative form of the Fgfr2b receptor. Double-transgenic (DTG) Rosa26(rtTA/+);tet(O)solFgfr2b mice were validated for the expression and activity of soluble Fgfr2b (failure to regenerate maxillary incisors, attenuated recombinant FGF7 signal in the lung). As previously reported, no defects in lung morphometry were detected in DTG (+dox) mice exposed from postnatal days (PN) 1 through PN105. Female single-transgenic (STG) and DTG mice were subjected to various levels of bleomycin injury (1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 U/kg). Fgfr2b ligands were attenuated either throughout injury (days 0-11; days 0-28) or during later stages (days 6-28 and 14-28). No significant changes in survival, weight, lung function, confluent areas of fibrosis, or hydroxyproline deposition were detected in DTG mice. These results indicate that endogenous Fgfr2b ligands do not significantly protect against bleomycin injury, nor do they expedite the resolution of bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice., (Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.)

Chronic injury of alveolar epithelial type II cells (AE2 cells) represents a key event in the development of lung fibrosis in animal models and in humans, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Intratracheal delivery of amiodarone to mice results in a profound injury and macroautophagydependent apoptosis of AE2 cells. Increased autophagy manifested in AE2 cells by disturbances of the intracellular surfactant. Hence, we hypothesized that ultrastructural alterations of the intracellular surfactant pool are signs of epithelial stress correlating with the severity of fibrotic remodeling. With the use of design-based stereology, the amiodarone model of pulmonary fibrosis in mice was characterized at the light and ultrastructural level during progression. Mean volume of AE2 cells, volume of lamellar bodies per AE2 cell, and mean size of lamellar bodies were correlated to structural parameters reflecting severity of fibrosis like collagen content. Within 2 wk amiodarone leads to an increase in septal wall thickness and a decrease in alveolar numbers due to irreversible alveolar collapse associated with alveolar surfactant dysfunction. Progressive hypertrophy of AE2 cells and increase in mean individual size and total volume of lamellar bodies per AE2 cell were observed. A high positive correlation of these AE2 cell-related ultrastructural changes and the deposition of collagen fibrils within septal walls were established. Qualitatively, similar alterations could be found in IPF samples with mild to moderate fibrosis. We conclude that ultrastructural alterations of AE2 cells including the surfactant system are tightly correlated with the progression of fibrotic remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]