Lung pericyte-like cells are functional interstitial immune sentinel cells.

Pericytes are perivascular PDGF receptor-β (PDGFRβ) stromal cells required for vasculogenesis and maintenance of microvascular homeostasis in many organs. Because of their unique juxtaposition to microvascular endothelium, lung PDGFRβ cells are well situated to detect proinflammatory molecules released following epithelial injury and promote acute inflammatory responses. Thus we hypothesized that these cells represent an unrecognized immune surveillance or injury-sentinel interstitial cell.

Syndecan-1 Attenuates Lung Injury during Influenza Infection by Potentiating c-Met Signaling to Suppress Epithelial Apoptosis.

Rationale: Syndecan-1 is a cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan primarily expressed in the lung epithelium. Because the influenza virus is tropic to the airway epithelium, we investigated the role of syndecan-1 in influenza infection.

Objectives: To determine the mechanism by which syndecan-1 regulates the lung mucosal response to influenza infection.