[Cell apoptosis and the change of Fas/FasL gene in experimental pulmonary fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes and significance of cell apoptosis and Fas/FasL gene in pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS: Forty mice were divided into two groups randomly, each group contained twenty mice. TUNEL, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect the change of cell apoptosis, Fas/FasL mRNA and protein in mice with pulmonary fibrosis caused by bleomycin. RESULTS: The apoptosis index of lung cells in the pulmonary fibrosis group (55.3 +/- 12.2) was higher than that of control group (4.7 +/- 1.0, t = 13.06, < 0.01). The expression of Fas/FasL mRNA (175.8 +/- 21.6, 5.2 +/- 1.6) and protein (956 +/- 96, 285 +/- 76) in the pulmonary fibrosis group was higher than that of control group (mRNA: 26.6 +/- 1.9, 0.5 +/- 0.4, t = 21.7, 8.79, all < 0.01; protein: 491 +/- 96, 100 +/- 18, t = 5.03, 12.81, < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The apoptosis index of lung cells, Fas/FasL genes and protein were up-regulated in lung tissue of pulmonary fibrosis, which may play an important role in the development of disease.