CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 could be a relevant molecular axis in the pathophysiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and progressive disease of unknown cause. It is characterized by the aberrant activation of the bronchioalveolar epithelium, the formation of fibroblast foci and the excessive production extracellular matrix. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the pathobiology of the disease are unclear. The CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis regulates cellular responses that are known to be relevant in IPF, such as proliferation and collagen production. In this study, we characterize for the first time the expression of CX3CL1 and its receptor in lung tissue from patients with IPF; and its effect on collagen production in IPF fibroblasts. We found that CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis has a modified expression in the lung tissue, importantly this axis is expressed on fibroblasts, and CX3CL1 decreased the collagen production in pulmonary fibroblasts derived from IPF patients.