Fibrogenesis and glycoconjugates
Motomiya, M.
Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 27(4): 418-421
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-1542 PMID: 2796048 Document Number: 343996
Glycosamnoglycan (GAG)s and fibronectin (FN) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from cases of sarcoidosis and interstitial pneumonitis, FN in the lung of paraquat-induced fibrosis in humans, and FN in the experimental bleomycin-lung of rats were quantified and partially characterized. It was found that the BALF from cases of sarcoidosis and interestitial pneumonitis, whose chest X-ray film showed persistent abnormalities despite treatment, contained detectable amounts of GAG's. There was a statistically significant difference in the FN content of BALF between patients with higher and those with lower uptake of GA into the lung field. FN in BALF mainly consisted of a 400 Kd molecular species which is identical to that of plasma FN. In experimental bleomycin-lung of rats, FN increased prior to fibrogenesis of the lung. In paraquat lung an increase of GAG's paralleled an increase of collagen. Electron microscopy revealed that dermatan sulfate was closely associated with collagen fibers in the human lung. These data suggested a close relationship between glycoconjugates and fibrogenesis.