Transcriptomic analysis of normal and IPF lung fibroblast SSEA4+ and SSEA4- cells

Recently, SSEA4+ mesenchymal progenitor cells have been described in stromal cultures, where IPF (but not normal) progenitor cells show pathological properties both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study is to determine differences between mesenchymal progenitor cells sorted from stromal cultures derived from the lung biopsies of IPF patients showing a slow progressive versus rapid progressive decline of lung function as previously defined (Trujillo, G et al Science trans med 2010). Further, both groups were also compared to their normal lung counterparts as well as SSEA4- mesenchymal progeny. SSEA4+ and SSEA4- cells were FACS sorted, RNA was extracted and sequenced.