Abstract 1193 Lipofibroblast Lipid Droplet Dynamics in Protecting a Healthy Lung

Our research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying protective actions of retinoids (vitamin A and its metabolites) in the adult lung. We previously established the critical role of lung retinoids in protecting adult lungs against acute lung injury (ALI) by showing that animals unable to accumulate retinoids (Lrat-/- mice) in their lungs experience more severe lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and high lethality. Our scRNA-seq analysis of retinoid-containing lung cells has identified transcriptionally diverse lung fibroblasts with lipofibroblast phenotype as the predominant cell population responsible for accumulating the protective retinoid stores in the adult lung.