Bronchoalveolar-Lavage-Derived Fibroblast Cell Line (B-LSDM7) as a New Protocol for Investigating the Mechanisms of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

• Published in: Cells (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-04, Vol.11 (9), p.1441
• Main Authors: Bergantini, Laura, d'Alessandro, Miriana, Gangi, Sara, Cavallaro, Dalila, Campiani, Giuseppe, Butini, Stefania, Landi, Claudia, Bini, Luca, Cameli, Paolo, Bargagli, Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; BAL; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Bronchoscopy; Bronchus; Cell culture; Cell Line; Cell lines; Collagen; Extracellular matrix; fibroblast; Fibroblasts; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Fibronectin; Fibrosis; Genotype & phenotype; Growth factors; Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - pathology; IPF; Lavage; Lung diseases; Medical dressings; Medical prognosis; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; Patients; Pulmonary fibrosis; Smooth muscle; Therapeutic Irrigation; Therapeutic targets; Vimentin
• ISSN: 2073-4409; 2073-4409
• DOI: 10.3390/cells11091441

The use of BAL to study ILDs has improved our understanding of IPF pathogenesis. BAL fluid is routinely collected and can be considered a clinical and research tool. The procedure is well tolerated and minimally invasive. No specific cell lines from BAL or immortalized cell lines from IPF patients are available commercially. A method to quickly isolate and characterize fibroblasts from BAL is an unmet research need. Here we describe a new protocol by which we isolated a cell line from IPF. The cell line was expanded in vitro and characterized phenotypically, morphologically and functionally. This culture showed highly filamentous cells with an evident central nucleus. From the phenotypic point of view, this cell line displays fibroblast/myofibroblast-like features including expression of alpha-SMA, vimentin, collagen type-1 and fibronectin. The results showed high expression of ROS in these cells. Oxidative stress invariably promotes extracellular matrix expression in lung diseases directly or through over-production of pro-fibrotic growth factors. Our protocol makes it possible to obtain fibroblasts BAL that is a routine non-invasive method that offers the possibility of having a large sample of patients. Standardized culture methods are important for a reliable model for testing molecules and eventual novel development therapeutic targets.