Circulating fibrocytes traffic to the lungs in response to CXCL12 and mediate fibrosis
J. Clin. Invest. Roderick J. Phillips, et al. 114:438 doi:10.1172/JCI20997 [Go to this article.]

Figure 4
Neutralizing anti-CXCL12 Ab’s inhibit intrapulmonary recruitment of CD45⁺Col I⁺CXCR4⁺ fibrocytes and significantly attenuate lung fibrosis in bleomycin-treated mice. (A) Single-cell suspensions were isolated from the lungs of naive or saline- or bleomycin-exposed mice, where the bleomycin-treated mice also received daily injections of either anti-CXCL12 Ab or control Ab for 16 days. These cells were then triple-stained for CD45, Col I, and CXCR4 and analyzed by flow cytometry. n = 5 samples per group. Data represent the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05. (B) Total collagen present in lung tissue of naive, saline-, or bleomycin-exposed mice, where the bleomycin-treated mice also received daily injections of either anti-CXCL12 or control Ab’s for 16 days. Total collagen levels were determined by the Sircol assay. n = 4 lungs in each group. Data represent the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05. (C) Single-cell suspensions were isolated from the lungs of bleomycin-exposed mice treated with either daily injections of anti-CXCL12 or control Ab’s for 8 days. These cells were then individually stained for CD3, CD4, CD8, NK1.1, Ly6, and Mac519 (Mac) and analyzed by flow cytometry. n = 3 lungs per group.