Project description:Communication between the airway epithelium and stroma is evident during embryogenesis, and both epithelial shedding and increased smooth muscle proliferation are features of airway remodeling. Hence, we hypothesized that after injury the airway epithelium could modulate airway smooth muscle proliferation. Fully differentiated primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells at an air-liquid interface were co-cultured with serum-deprived normal primary human airway smooth muscle cells (HASM) using commercially available Transwells. In some co-cultures, the NHBE were repeatedly (x4) scrape-injured. An in vivo model of tracheal injury consisted of gently denuding the tracheal epithelium (x3) of a rabbit over 5 days and then examining the trachea by histology 3 days after the last injury. Our results show that HASM cell number increases 2.5-fold in the presence of NHBE, and 4.3-fold in the presence of injured NHBE compared with HASM alone after 8 days of in vitro co-culture. In addition, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and, more markedly, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 concentration increased in co-culture correlating with enhanced HASM growth. Inhibiting MMP-9 release significantly attenuated the NHBE-dependent HASM proliferation in co-culture. In vivo, the injured rabbit trachea demonstrated proliferation in the smooth muscle (trachealis) region and significant MMP-9 staining, which was absent in the uninjured control. The airway epithelium modulates smooth muscle cell proliferation via a mechanism that involves secretion of soluble mediators including potential smooth muscle mitogens such as IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1, but also through a novel MMP-9-dependent mechanism.
Project description:Asthma is a complex pulmonary disorder with multiple pathological mechanisms. A key pathological feature of chronic asthma is airway remodeling, which is largely attributed to airway smooth muscle (ASM) hyperplasia that contributes to thickening of the airway wall and further drives asthma pathology. The cellular processes that mediate ASM cell proliferation are not completely elucidated. Using multiple approaches, we demonstrate that the adapter protein Abi1 (Abelson interactor 1) is upregulated in ∼50% of ASM cell cultures derived from patients with asthma. Loss-of-function studies demonstrate that Abi1 regulates the activation of Jak2 (Janus kinase 2) and STAT3 (signal transducers and activators of transcription 3) as well as the proliferation of both nonasthmatic and asthmatic human ASM cell cultures. These findings identify Abi1 as a molecular switch that activates Jak2 kinase and STAT3 in ASM cells and demonstrate that a dysfunctional Abi1-associated pathway contributes to the progression of asthma.
Project description:Abnormal migration and proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) in the airway cause airway wall thickening, which is strongly related with the development of airway remodeling in asthma. Clara cell 10 kDa protein (CC10), which is secreted by the epithelial clara cells of the pulmonary airways, plays an important role in the regulation of immunological and inflammatory processes. Previous studies suggested that CC10 protein had great protective effects against inflammation in asthma. However, the effects of CC10 protein on ASMCs migration and proliferation in airway remodeling were poorly understood. In this study, we constructed the pET-22b-CC10 recombinant plasmid, induced expression and purified the recombinant rat CC10 protein from E. coli by Ni(2+) affinity chromatography and ion exchange chromatography purification. We investigated the effect of recombinant rat CC10 protein on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced ASMCs proliferation and migration. Our results demonstrated that the recombinant CC10 protein could inhibit PDGF-BB-induced cell viability, proliferation and migration. Western blot analysis showed that PDGF-BB-induced activation of cyclin D1 was inhibited by CC10. These findings implicated that CC10 could inhibit increased ASMCs proliferation, and migration induced by PDGF-BB, and this suppression effect might be associated with inhibition of cyclin D1 expression, which might offer hope for the future treatment of airway remodeling.
Project description:BackgroundStudies that looked at asthma airway remodeling pathogenesis and prevention have led to the discovery of the rat sarcoma viral oncogene (RAS) signaling pathway as a key mechanism that controls airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation. Baicalin has great anti-inflammatory, proliferation-inhibited, and respiratory disease-relieving properties. However, the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of baicalin on ASMC-mediated airway remodeling in mice are still poorly understood.MethodsAfter establishing the asthmatic mice model by ovalbumin (OVA) and interfering with baicalin, airway remodeling characteristics such as airway resistance, mRNA, and protein expression levels of remodeling-related cytokines were measured by histopathological assessment, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and western blot. Further efforts on detailed mechanisms were used antibody arrays to compare the expression and activation of proteins involved in the RAS signaling pathway. In addition, validation experiments were performed in ASMC proliferation model and low-expression cells of the target gene by using shRNA.ResultsIn OVA-induced asthmatic mice model, baicalin significantly reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissue, attenuated airway resistance, and decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of remodeling-related cytokines such as interleukin-13 (IL-13), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1). The results of antibody arrays involved in RAS signaling pathway revealed that OVA and baicalin administration altered the activation of protein kinase C alpha type (PKC-α), A-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (A-RAF), mitogen-activated protein kinase 2 (MEK2), extracellular regulated MAP kinase (ERK), MAPK interacting serine/threonine kinase 1 (MNK1), and ETS transcription factor 1 (ELK1). The above results were further verified in the ASMC proliferation model. A-RAF silencing (shA-RAF) could promote ASMC proliferation and downregulate p-MEK2, p-ERK, p-MNK1, and p-ELK1 expression.ConclusionThe effects of baicalin against airway remodeling and ASMC proliferation might partially be achieved by suppressing the RAS signaling pathway. Baicalin may be a new therapeutic option for managing airway remodeling in asthma patients.
Project description:Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is synthesized intracellularly by the enzymes cystathionine-?-lyase and cystathionine-?-synthase (CBS), and is proposed to be a gasotransmitter with effects in modulating inflammation and cellular proliferation. We determined a role of H(2)S in airway smooth muscle (ASM) function. ASM were removed from resection or transplant donor lungs and were placed in culture. Proliferation of ASM was induced by FCS and the proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1?. Proliferation of ASM and IL-8 release were measured by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and ELISA, respectively. Exposure of ASM to H(2)S "donors" inhibited this proliferation and IL-8 release. Methemoglobin, a scavenger of endogenous H(2)S, increased DNA synthesis induced by FCS and IL-1?. In addition, methemoglobin increased IL-8 release induced by FCS, but not by IL-1?, indicating a role for endogenous H(2)S in these systems. Inhibition of CBS, but not cystathionine-?-lyase, reversed the inhibitory effect of H(2)S on proliferation and IL-8 release, indicating that this is dependent on CBS. CBS mRNA and protein expression were inhibited by H(2)S donors, and were increased by methemoglobin, indicating that CBS is the main enzyme responsible for endogenous H(2)S production. Finally, we found that exogenous H(2)S inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 and p38, which could represent a mechanism by which H(2)S inhibited cellular proliferation and IL-8 release. In summary, H(2)S production provides a novel mechanism for regulation of ASM proliferation and IL-8 release. Therefore, regulation of H(2)S may represent a novel approach to controlling ASM proliferation and cytokine release that is found in patients with asthma.
Project description:Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell mass and secretory functions are characteristics of airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma. To date, there are no effective therapies to combat ASM cell proliferation, which contributes to bronchoconstriction and airway obstruction. Growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and the activation of the ERK1/2 are major regulators of ASM cell proliferation and airway remodeling in asthma. However, given the ubiquitous expression and multiple functions of ERK1/2, complete inhibition of ERK1/2 using ATP-competitive inhibitors may lead to unwanted off-target effects. Alternatively, we have identified compounds that are designed to target substrate docking sites and act as function-selective inhibitors of ERK1/2 signaling. Here, we show that both function-selective and ATP-competitive ERK1/2 inhibitors are effective at inhibiting PDGF-mediated proliferation, collagen production, and IL-6 secretion in ASM cells. Proteomic analysis revealed that both types of inhibitors had similar effects on reducing proteins related to TGF-β and IL-6 signaling that are relevant to airway remodeling. However, function-selective ERK1/2 inhibitors caused fewer changes in protein expression compared with ATP-competitive inhibitors. These studies provide a molecular basis for the development of function-selective ERK1/2 inhibitors to mitigate airway remodeling in asthma with defined regulation of ERK1/2 signaling.-Defnet, A. E., Huang, W., Polischak, S., Yadav, S. K., Kane, M. A., Shapiro, P., Deshpande, D. A. Effects of ATP-competitive and function-selective ERK inhibitors on airway smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Project description:Exaggerated contraction of airway smooth muscle is the major cause of symptoms in asthma, but the mechanisms that prevent exaggerated contraction are incompletely understood. Here, we showed that integrin α9β1 on airway smooth muscle localizes the polyamine catabolizing enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) in close proximity to the lipid kinase PIP5K1γ. As PIP5K1γ is the major source of PIP2 in airway smooth muscle and its activity is regulated by higher-order polyamines, this interaction inhibited IP3-dependent airway smooth muscle contraction. Mice lacking integrin α9β1 in smooth muscle had increased airway responsiveness in vivo, and loss or inhibition of integrin α9β1 increased in vitro airway narrowing and airway smooth muscle contraction in murine and human airways. Contraction was enhanced in control airways by the higher-order polyamine spermine or by cell-permeable PIP2, but these interventions had no effect on airways lacking integrin α9β1 or treated with integrin α9β1-blocking antibodies. Enhancement of SSAT activity or knockdown of PIP5K1γ inhibited airway contraction, but only in the presence of functional integrin α9β1. Therefore, integrin α9β1 appears to serve as a brake on airway smooth muscle contraction by recruiting SSAT, which facilitates local catabolism of polyamines and thereby inhibits PIP5K1γ. Targeting key components of this pathway could thus lead to new treatment strategies for asthma.
Project description:Defining mechanisms by which differentiated, contractile smooth muscle cells become proliferative and secretory in response to mechanical and environmental stress is crucial for determining the contribution of airway smooth muscle (ASM) to inflammatory responses that result in airway disease. Regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) has emerged as an important post-transcriptional mechanism regulating gene expression that may modulate ASM phenotype, but little is known about the expression and functions of miRNA in smooth muscle. In the present study we used microarrays to determine whether miRNAs in human ASM cells are altered by a proinflammatory stimulus. In ASM cells exposed to IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma, we found 11 miRNAs to be significantly down-regulated. We verified decreased expression of miR-25, miR-140*, mir-188, and miR-320 by quantitative PCR. Analysis of miR-25 expression indicates that it has a broad role in regulating ASM phenotype by modulating expression of inflammatory mediators such as RANTES, eotaxin, and TNF-alpha; genes involved in extracellular matrix turnover; and contractile proteins, most notably myosin heavy chain. miRNA binding algorithms predict that miR-25 targets Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a potent inhibitor of smooth muscle-specific gene expression and mediator of inflammation. Our study demonstrates that inhibition of miR-25 in cytokine-stimulated ASM cells up-regulates KLF4 expression via a post-transcriptional mechanism. This provides novel evidence that miR-25 targets KLF4 in ASM cells and proposes that miR-25 may be an important mediator of ASM phenotype.
Project description:ObjectiveProliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) in response to vascular injury is central to neointimal vascular remodeling. There is accumulating evidence that histone acetylation constitutes a major epigenetic modification for the transcriptional control of proliferative gene expression; however, the physiological role of histone acetylation for proliferative vascular disease remains elusive.Methods and resultsIn the present study, we investigated the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition in SMC proliferation and neointimal remodeling. We demonstrate that mitogens induce transcription of HDAC 1, 2, and 3 in SMC. Short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of either HDAC 1, 2, or 3 and pharmacological inhibition of HDAC prevented mitogen-induced SMC proliferation. The mechanisms underlying this reduction of SMC proliferation by HDAC inhibition involve a growth arrest in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle that is due to an inhibition of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation. HDAC inhibition resulted in a transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip). Furthermore, HDAC inhibition repressed mitogen-induced cyclin D1 mRNA expression and cyclin D1 promoter activity. As a result of this differential cell cycle-regulatory gene expression by HDAC inhibition, the retinoblastoma protein retains a transcriptional repression of its downstream target genes required for S phase entry. Finally, we provide evidence that these observations are applicable in vivo by demonstrating that HDAC inhibition decreased neointima formation and expression of cyclin D1 in a murine model of vascular injury.ConclusionsThese findings identify HDAC as a critical component of a transcriptional cascade regulating SMC proliferation and suggest that HDAC might play a pivotal role in the development of proliferative vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and in-stent restenosis.