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Editorial
. 2016 Feb 22:17:20.
doi: 10.1186/s12931-016-0337-4.

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT): an active process in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Sukhwinder Singh Sohal  1   2
Affiliations
Editorial

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT): an active process in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Sukhwinder Singh Sohal. Respir Res. .

Abstract

Small airway fibrosis is the main contributor to physiological airway dysfunction in COPD. One potential mechanism contributing to small airway fibrosis is epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). When associated with angiogenesis (so called EMT-Type-3) it may well also be the link with the development of airway epithelial cancer, which is closely associated with COPD and predominantly in large airways. In a recent study published in Respiratory Research, Reimann and colleagues, showed increased expression of S100A4 in vasculature of human COPD and murine lungs. It is quite possible that the process of endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is active in COPD lungs which we wish to comment on.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Potential contribution of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and endothelial mesenchymal transition (EndMT) to pathogenies of COPD and its linkage to lung cancer through formation of pro-cancer stroma
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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