Fibroblast-epithelial cell interactions drive epithelial-mesenchymal transition differently in cells from normal and COPD patients

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which involves changes in cellular morphology of highly polarized epithelial cells and the gain of mesenchymal cell phenotype with migratory and invasive capacities, is implicated in smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the interactions of fibroblasts and epithelial cells and the participation of fibroblasts in the EMT processes in COPD are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that EMT is active in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells of COPD patients, and that mediators secreted by lung fibroblasts from COPD patients induce EMT