Fig. 4

Epithelial CXCR4⁺ cells are increased in IPF lung tissue. Quantification of CXCR4⁺ phenotypes in lung tissue from 7 non-diseased control (NDC) donors and 7 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was performed using multiplex immunohistochemistry and analysed using automated image analysis (HALO). a The total number of cells used in the analysis was not different between NDC and IPF groups. b The percentage of single positive CXCR4 cells was increased in IPF compared to NDC. There is no difference in (c) the % e-cadherin⁺ cells or (d) the % CXCL12⁺ cells between the groups. (e) The percentage of double positive CXCR4/e-cadherin and (f) CXCR4⁺ /CXCL12⁺ cells were higher in IPF compared to NDC but there was no difference in the proportion of (g) e-cadherin⁺ /CXCL12⁺ cells. h The % of triple positive CXCR4⁺ /e-cadherin⁺ /CXCL12⁺ cells was increased in IPF compared to NDC. Data are presented as mean and standard deviation. Mann-Whitney U test, *p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01