RNA-sequencing comparison of pneumonectomy and bleomycin reveals novel anti-fibrotic mechanisms and regulators

Fibroblast activation is transient in successful wound repair, but persistent in fibrotic pathologies. Understanding fibroblast deactivation during successful wound healing may provide new approaches to therapeutically reverse fibrogenic cell activation. To characterize the gene programs that accompany fibroblast activation and reversal during lung fibrosis resolution, we used RNA-seq analysis of flow-sorted Col1α1-GFP positive and CD45, CD31, and CD326 negative cells isolated from the lungs of young mice exposed to bleomycin and pneumonectomy. We compared fibroblasts isolated from controls to those isolated at days 14 and 30 after bleomycin exposure, as well as at 14 days after pneumonectomy, representing the peak of extracellular matrix deposition, early stage of fibrosis resolution, and non-fibrotic lung repair respectively. RNA-seq of Co11a1-GFP fibroblasts in D14 bleomycin, D30 Bleomycin, D14 pneumonectomy, and control groups.