Comprehensive gene expression of fibroblasts from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients

To investigate the mechanisms underlying disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), we obtained lung fibroblasts from IPF patients from both non-fibrotic and fibrotic areas, and compared gene expression between these areas by DNA microarray. Forty-two genes were commonly upregulated more than two-fold in fibroblasts from the fibrotic lung region compared with their counterparts from the non-fibrotic region in all three IPF patients. Lung specimens from three patients with lung cancer and IPF were obtained from both the fibrotic and non-fibrotic areas in non-cancerous regions. Comprehensive gene expression of fibroblasts, which were isolated from each region and cultured, were analyzed.