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1652872 
Journal Article 
Markers of macrophage differentiation in experimental silicosis 
Misson, P; van den Brûle, S; Barbarin, V; Lison, D; Huaux, F 
2004 
Yes 
Journal of Leukocyte Biology
ISSN: 0741-5400
EISSN: 1938-3673 
76 
5 
926-932 
English 
15292275 
WOS:000224867500002 
Macrophages are characterized by a marked phenotypic heterogeneity depending on their microenvironmental stimulation. Beside classical activation (M1), it has been shown that macrophages could follow a different activation pathway after stimulation with interleukin (IL)-4 or IL-13 (M2). Recently, it has been postulated that those "alternatively activated" macrophages may be critical in the control of fibrogenesis. In an experimental model of silicosis, where pulmonary macrophages play a central role, we addressed the question of whether lung fibrosis development would be associated with alternative macrophage activation. As available markers for alternative macrophage activation, type-1 arginase (Arg-1), Fizz1, Ym1/2, and mannose receptor expression were evaluated at the mRNA and/or protein levels at different stages of the disease. Nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) expression was also examined to investigate the classical counterpart. We found that the expression of Arg-1, Fizz1, and NOS-2 in adherent bronchoalveolar lavage cells was highly up-regulated 3 days after silica administration but returned to control levels during the fibrotic stage of the disease (60 days). By comparing the early response to silica in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, we observed that the amplitude of Arg-1 mRNA up-regulation was not associated with the severity of lung fibrosis. Using a model of manganese dioxide particles (resolutive alveolitis), we showed that this early Arg-1 mRNA was not specific to a fibrogenic lung response. Our data indicate that the modifications of M1/M2 marker expression are limited to the early inflammatory stage of silicosis and that the establishment of a fibrotic process is not necessarily associated with M2 polarization. 
M1/M2; fibrosis; collagen