Claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -7 in usual interstitial pneumonia and sarcoidosis.

The aim of this study was to study the expression of various claudins in sarcoidosis, usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), and normal human lung. The expression and cell-specific localization of claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -7 was analyzed by IHC. Bronchiolar epithelial cells showed mostly strong expression for claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, and -7 and mainly weak expression for claudin-5 in UIP, sarcoidosis, and normal lung. Three claudins, claudin-3, -4, and -7, were expressed in normal alveolar epithelium, mainly in type II pneumocytes. Claudin-5 was expressed strongly in endothelium of normal lung, and its staining was extremely intense in endothelium of UIP. Moderate or strong expression for claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, and -7 was observed in metaplastic alveolar- and bronchiolar-type epithelium in UIP and also in metaplastic alveolar-type epithelium in sarcoidosis. Expression of claudin-5 was mainly weak in metaplastic alveolar- and bronchiolar-type epithelium in UIP. We conclude that claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -7 are expressed in UIP and sarcoidosis, and furthermore, the most prominent enhancement of staining is localized in metaplastic alveolar- and bronchiolar-type epithelium in UIP compared with the healthy lung.