Transcriptome analysis in endobronchial epithelial lining fluid compared to bronchoalveolar lavage in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: Bronchoscopic Microsampling (BMS) of endobronchial epithelial lining fluid (EELF) might be a potent method for assessing novel molecular biomarkers to improve diagnostics and risk assessment in interstitial lung diseases. In contrast to BAL, EELF can be collected highly localization-specific in the airway of areas with active disease. Aim of this study was to analyze the differences between the transcriptome expression patterns in EELF and BAL samples from patients with IPF. Methods: EELF was collected from a total of 14 patients by BMS from subsegmental bronchi. BAL from the same patients was sample…