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Updated: Sep 16, 2026

Dissection and Isolation of Region-Specific Decellularized Lung Tissue
Published on: September 29, 2023
Composition and Function of Decellularized Human Lung Extracellular Matrix from Congenital Pulmonary Airway
Yanan Li1,2, Ping Yang3, Miao Yuan2
1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract:
Background: Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a rare developmental disorder characterized by cystic lung lesions, yet its extracellular matrix (ECM) composition remains poorly understood. This study employed decellularization and data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics to compare ECM profiles between cystic (CPAM) and histologically normal non-diseased (ND) regions from the lungs of four patients. Results: The decellularized scaffolds retained their native architecture with minimal residual DNA (<50 ng/mg). Proteomic analysis revealed 431 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), with 171 upregulated and 260 downregulated in CPAM. Key findings revealed CPAM-specific enrichment of collagens (COL4A6, COL4A2, COL10A1, COL21A1 and PIIINP), glycoproteins (SPP1, FRAS1, FREM1, FREM2, LTBP1 and FBLN7), ECM regulators (TENM2, ROR2 and OMD), and ECM-affiliated proteins (ANXA7), alongside downregulation of glycoproteins (VASN and ABI3BP), proteoglycans (PODN and MXRA7), ECM regulators (SCARA5, PAPPA, SAA4, CPXM1, CTSC, THY1, SERPINA6/A1/D1, BSG, LYVE1, ITIH4 and CD44), and ECM-affiliated proteins (LGALSL). Pathway analysis highlighted the dysregulation of TGF-β, PI3K-AKT, and mTOR signaling in CPAM and aberrant ECM-cell interactions in pathogenesis. We also evaluated their functional properties and investigated the impact of ECM-based hydrogels on recellularization. Conclusions: These findings provide a comprehensive proteomic atlas of CPAM ECM alterations, offering insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
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