Gerrit Grieb1, Richard Bucala2. 1. Departments of Medicine, Pathology, Epidemiology, and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, Connecticut. ; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen, Germany . ; Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen, Germany . 2. Departments of Medicine, Pathology, Epidemiology, and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, Connecticut.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: First described in 1994, fibrocytes are now appreciated to participate in different inflammatory and fibrogenic processes as well as in wound healing. Fibrocytes are unique in their expression of both myeloid and connective tissue products, which include a distinct cytokine and surface marker expression profile. Recent studies suggest their clinical utility as predictive biomarkers and as targets for therapeutic intervention. THE PROBLEM: Fibrocytes are involved in physiological and beneficial processes such as wound repair. Their involvement in detrimental processes such as aberrant collagen deposition in different fibrosing diseases reveals the sensitive balance in which these bone marrow progenitors have to be maintained. BASIC/CLINICAL SCIENCE ADVANCES: The enumeration of circulating fibrocytes and correlation with clinical severity of different fibrosing disorders is one of the most promising advantages in recent fibrocyte research. Besides their potential as a biomarker, fibrocytes may be therapeutically targeted by serum amyloid P, which inhibits their differentiation. In addition, recent murine studies supported the immunomodulatory potential of fibrocytes and demonstrated that these cells are controlled by CD4+ T cells. CLINICAL CARE RELEVANCE: The potential prognostic utility of quantifying circulating fibrocytes in patients suffering from fibrotic diseases is one of the most promising aspects in possible clinical applications. In addition, controlling the number and differentiation of fibrocytes by therapeutic regulation of known differentiation by specific T-cell immunosuppression may open new avenues for the treatment of fibrosing diseases. CONCLUSION: Further detailed understanding of fibrocyte biology and their regulation in different disorders is desirable to advance new therapies for the treatment of chronic fibrosing disorders such as interstitial lung disease and to promote wound repair.
BACKGROUND: First described in 1994, fibrocytes are now appreciated to participate in different inflammatory and fibrogenic processes as well as in wound healing. Fibrocytes are unique in their expression of both myeloid and connective tissue products, which include a distinct cytokine and surface marker expression profile. Recent studies suggest their clinical utility as predictive biomarkers and as targets for therapeutic intervention. THE PROBLEM: Fibrocytes are involved in physiological and beneficial processes such as wound repair. Their involvement in detrimental processes such as aberrant collagen deposition in different fibrosing diseases reveals the sensitive balance in which these bone marrow progenitors have to be maintained. BASIC/CLINICAL SCIENCE ADVANCES: The enumeration of circulating fibrocytes and correlation with clinical severity of different fibrosing disorders is one of the most promising advantages in recent fibrocyte research. Besides their potential as a biomarker, fibrocytes may be therapeutically targeted by serum amyloid P, which inhibits their differentiation. In addition, recent murine studies supported the immunomodulatory potential of fibrocytes and demonstrated that these cells are controlled by CD4+ T cells. CLINICAL CARE RELEVANCE: The potential prognostic utility of quantifying circulating fibrocytes in patients suffering from fibrotic diseases is one of the most promising aspects in possible clinical applications. In addition, controlling the number and differentiation of fibrocytes by therapeutic regulation of known differentiation by specific T-cell immunosuppression may open new avenues for the treatment of fibrosing diseases. CONCLUSION: Further detailed understanding of fibrocyte biology and their regulation in different disorders is desirable to advance new therapies for the treatment of chronic fibrosing disorders such as interstitial lung disease and to promote wound repair.
Authors: Lynne A Murray; Qingsheng Chen; Michael S Kramer; David P Hesson; Rochelle L Argentieri; Xueyang Peng; Mridu Gulati; Robert J Homer; Thomas Russell; Nico van Rooijen; Jack A Elias; Cory M Hogaboam; Erica L Herzog Journal: Int J Biochem Cell Biol Date: 2010-10-29 Impact factor: 5.085
Authors: Susan K Mathai; Mridu Gulati; Xueyan Peng; Thomas R Russell; Albert C Shaw; Ami N Rubinowitz; Lynne A Murray; Jonathan M Siner; Danielle E Antin-Ozerkis; Ruth R Montgomery; Ronald A S Reilkoff; Richard J Bucala; Erica L Herzog Journal: Lab Invest Date: 2010-04-19 Impact factor: 5.662
Authors: Marianne Niedermeier; Barbara Reich; Manuel Rodriguez Gomez; Andrea Denzel; Kathrin Schmidbauer; Nicole Göbel; Yvonne Talke; Frank Schweda; Matthias Mack Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2009-10-06 Impact factor: 11.205