Fibrotic diseases of the genitourinary tract are devastating and incompletely understood pathologies. These diseases include urethral and ureteral strictures, retroperitoneal fibrosis, and Peyronie's disease. They can contribute to obstructive uropathy and sexual dysfunction. Poor understanding of the pathophysiology of these diseases severely limits our ability to prevent and treat them. Genitourinary fibrotic diseases likely represent related pathologies that share common underlying mechanisms involving wound healing in response to injury. These diseases share the common feature of extracellular matrix abnormalities-such as collagen deposition, transforming growth factor-β accumulation, and dysregulation of collagen maturation-leading to abnormal tissue stiffness. Given the association of many of these diseases with autoimmunity, a systemic pro-inflammatory state likely contributes to their associated fibrogenesis. Herein, we explore the immunologic contribution to fibrogenesis in several fibrotic diseases of the genitourinary system. Better understanding how the immune system contributes to fibrosis in these diseases may improve prevention and therapeutic strategies and elucidate the functions of immunologic contributors to fibrosis in general.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/15353702221090872 | DOI Listing |
Life Sci
December 2024
"Aurel Ardelean" Institute of Life Sciences, "Vasile Goldis" Western University of Arad, 310144 Arad, Romania; Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, "Vasile Goldis" Western University of Arad, 310144 Arad, Romania. Electronic address:
Aims: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can lead to serious lung conditions, notably interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.
Main Methods: Our study tracked the progression of fibrosis markers in serial bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) measurements collected from 16 COVID-19 patients at 1, 3, and 6 months post-infection. Additionally, BAL samples from 10 healthy control subjects were included.
Vascul Pharmacol
December 2024
Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160062, Punjab, India. Electronic address:
Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in various pathological conditions, making it a key target in therapeutic development. Anti-angiogenic therapies are gaining traction for their potential in treating a range of angiogenesis-dependent diseases. Among these, endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors, particularly endostatin, have garnered significant attention for their therapeutic promise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Case Rep
December 2024
Department of Internal Medicine, Groene Hart Hospital, Gouda, Netherlands.
BACKGROUND IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disease potentially affecting every part of the human body. Because of variability in clinical presentation, IgG4-RD can be challenging to diagnose. Untreated disease can lead to irreversible organ damage such as fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
December 2024
Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 150 N. Orange Grove Blvd, Suite 232, Pasadena, CA, USA.
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies have transformed the treatment of retinal diseases. However, VEGF signaling is only one component of the complex, multifactorial pathophysiology of retinal diseases, and many patients have residual disease activity despite ongoing anti-VEGF treatment. The angiopoietin/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (Ang/Tie2) signaling pathway is critical to endothelial cell homeostasis, survival, integrity, and vascular stability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Med
December 2024
Department of Neonatology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No.1 Western Huanghe Road, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223300, China.
Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease prevalent among premature infants, significantly impacts lifelong respiratory health. Macrophages, as key components of the innate immune system, play a role in lung tissue inflammation and injury, exhibiting diverse and dynamic functionalities. The M4 macrophage, a distinctive subtype primarily triggered by chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 4 (CXCL4), has been implicated in pulmonary inflammatory and fibrotic processes.
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