Fig. 1

IL-11 and IL-11Rα are increased in whole lung homogenates, isolated pulmonary arteries and serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated to IPF. The protein expression of IL-11 and IL-11Rα in A, B isolated pulmonary arteries (70–500 µm of internal diameter), C, D serum, and E, F lung tissue homogenates. Protein expression was measured using ELISA kits. H CD31 protein expression was measured in isolated pulmonary arteries as endothelial cells marker by ELISA. H, I Human lung tissue from control subjects, IPF and PH associated to IPF was immune-stained with IL-11, IL-11Rα and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) antibodies. Representative images are showed from non-fibrotic lung areas and fibrotic areas. J Vascular wall thickening was quantified in a total of 20–30 pulmonary arteries per patient. K, L Immunohistochemical score quantification of IL-11 and IL-11Rα in a total of 20–30 pulmonary arteries per patient. Scale bar: 100 µm. Data are presented as scatter dot blot with median and interquartile range values. P-values are based on the Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn’s post-hoc test for multiple comparison. M Spearman ρ correlation of IL-11 expression in isolated pulmonary arteries from PH + IPF and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP). N indicates the number of patients in each graph