Activation of oncogenic pathways in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Giulia M Stella; Simona Inghilleri; Ymera Pignochino; Michele Zorzetto; Tiberio Oggionni; Patrizia Morbini; Maurizio Luisetti

doi:10.1016/j.tranon.2014.05.002

Activation of oncogenic pathways in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Transl Oncol. 2014 Oct;7(5):650-5. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2014.05.002. Epub 2014 Jun 14.

Authors

Giulia M Stella¹, Simona Inghilleri², Ymera Pignochino³, Michele Zorzetto², Tiberio Oggionni², Patrizia Morbini⁴, Maurizio Luisetti²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Pneumology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: g.stella@smatteo.pv.it.
² Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Pneumology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
³ Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Candiolo Italy.
⁴ Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.

Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is defined as a specific form of chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial pneumonia of unknown cause. The most recent hypotheses on IPF pathogenesis suggest a central role of epithelial cell damage, followed by a dysregulated molecular cross talk between epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Thus, IPF progression has often been assimilated to that of cancer, and several signaling patterns appear to be disrupted in both diseases. Here, we analyze the expression in an IPF series of a panel of molecules, which are known to play a role in tumorigenic process. Our findings, although preliminary, reveal that IPF landscape is enriched in neoplastic potential expressed in a context of complex genomic polyclonality and cellular heterogeneity. These results provide a rationale for further investigations aimed to exploit-in a similar fashion to cancer-targeted therapies for a "precision medicine" approach to IPF.