Curdione ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by repressing TGF-?-induced fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and irreversible disease characterized by excessive fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation with limited therapeutic options. Curdione, a sesquiterpene compound extracted from the essential oil of Curcuma aromatica Salisb, has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, the role of curdione in IPF is still unclear. METHODS:The effects of curdione were evaluated in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model. C57BL/6 mice were treated with BLM on day 0 by intratracheal injection and intraperitoneal administered curdione or vehicle. In vitro study, expression of fibrotic protein was examined and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-?-related signaling was evaluated in human pulmonary fibroblasts (HPFs) treated with curdione following TGF-?1 stimulation. RESULTS:Histological and immunofluorescent examination showed that curdione alleviated BLM-induced lung injury and fibrosis. Specifically, curdione significantly attenuated fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation in the lung in BLM induced mice. Furthermore, curdione also decreased TGF-?1 induced fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation in vitro, as evidenced by low expression of ?-SMA, collagen 1 and fibronectin in a dose dependent manner. Mechanistically, curdione suppressed the phosphorylation of Smad3 following TGF-?1 treatment, thereby inhibiting fibroblast differentiation. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, curdione exerted therapeutic effects against pulmonary fibrosis via attenuating fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation. As curdione had been shown to be safe and well-tolerated in BLM-induced mouse model, curdione might be useful for developing novel therapeutics for IPF.
SUBMITTER: Liu P
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7031930 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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