Role of lung pericytes and resident fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

RATIONALE

The origin of cells that make pathologic fibrillar collagen matrix in lung disease has been controversial. Recent studies suggest mesenchymal cells may contribute directly to fibrosis.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize discrete populations of mesenchymal cells in the normal mouse lung and to map their fate after bleomycin-induced lung injury.

METHODS

We mapped the fate of Foxd1-expressing embryonic progenitors and their progeny during lung development, adult homeostasis, and after fibrosing injury in Foxd1-Cre; Rs26-tdTomato-R mice. We studied collagen-I(α)1-producing cells in normal and diseased lungs using Coll-GFP(Tg) mice.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Foxd1-expressing embryonic progenitors enter lung buds before 13.5 days post-conception, expand, and form an extensive lineage of mesenchymal cells that have characteristics of pericytes. A collagen-I(α)1-expressing mesenchymal population of distinct lineage is also found in adult lung, with features of a resident fibroblast. In contrast to resident fibroblasts, Foxd1 progenitor-derived pericytes are enriched in transcripts for innate immunity, vascular development, WNT signaling pathway, and cell migration. Foxd1 progenitor-derived pericytes expand after bleomycin lung injury, and activate expression of collagen-I(α)1 and the myofibroblast marker αSMA in fibrotic foci. In addition, our studies suggest a distinct lineage of collagen-I(α)1-expressing resident fibroblasts that also expands after lung injury is a second major source of myofibroblasts.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the lung contains an extensive population of Foxd1 progenitor-derived pericytes that are an important lung myofibroblast precursor population.