Project description:Background: Environmental allergens can induce epithelial cellular senescence, which contributes to airway inflammation. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor responsive to environmental stimuli, may regulate this process. Objectives: We sought to determine whether epithelial AhR controls cellular senescence and to define its underlying mechanisms in allergic airway inflammation. Methods: Club cell-specific p16 conditional knockout mice (p16ΔScgb1a1) were used to assess the role of epithelial senescence and allergic airway inflammation. AhR regulation of senescence was examined using AhR agonist, antagonist, and Club cell-specific AhR-deficient mice (AhRΔScgb1a1) in both in vitro and in vivo models. Bulk RNA-seq was performed to identify AhR-regulated, senescence-associated genes, and immunoprecipitation (IP) along with ChIP-PCR was employed to validate AhR-target gene interactions. Results: Single-cell transcriptomics revealed epithelial senescence as a key feature of allergen-induced asthma. p16ΔScgb1a1 mice exhibited reduced cockroach allergen–induced airway inflammation and decreased Th2/Th17 cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALFs). AhR signaling was enhanced in airway epithelial cells of allergen-treated asthmatics and regulated senescence, as indicated by SA-β-gal activity and expression of Cdkn2a, Cdkn1a, and γH2AX. The AhR agonist VAF347 suppressed, whereas AhRΔScgb1a1 deficiency exacerbated, airway inflammation. RNA-seq identified senescence as a major AhR-regulated pathway, highlighting c-Myc, TGF-β2, IGFBP3, and SERPINE1 as key targets. AhR binding to the c-Myc promoter was validated, and c-Myc inhibition with EN4 reduced allergen-induced senescence and inflammation. Conclusions: Epithelial AhR suppresses allergen-induced senescence and airway inflammation through direct regulation of c-Myc. These findings establish the AhR–c-Myc axis as a potential therapeutic target in allergic asthma.
Project description:Inhaled allergen challenge of subjects with allergic asthma allows the study of mechanisms involved in allergen-induced airway inflammation. The objective of this study was to identify changes in the plasma proteome associated with a late phase response (LPR) causing airway obstruction occurring 4-8 hours after the initial early response. Serial plasma samples from asthmatics undergoing inhaled allergen challenge were analyzed. Mass spectrometry data was analyzed using a linear regression to model the relationship between the degree of airway obstruction during the LPR and plasma proteome changes evoked by the inhaled allergen challenge. Inhaled allergen challenge induced changes in the plasma proteome including upregulation of the protease inhibitors alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin and plasma serine protease inhibitor. Out of 396 quantified proteins, 150 showed a statistically significant change 23 hours post allergen challenge. Further proteomic changes were associated with the LPR, including altered levels of coagulation factors such as an increased factor XII A and a decreased von Willebrand factor. Allergic reactions to inhaled allergens in asthmatic subjects was associated with changes in a large proportion of the measured plasma proteome, whereof protease inhibitors show the largest changes, likely to influence the inflammatory response. Of several other proteins altered in relation to the LPR, many are associated with coagulation.
Project description:Rationale: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, has been considered as an important regulator for immune diseases. We have previously shown that AhR protects against allergic airway inflammation. The underlying mechanism, however, remains undetermined. Objectives: We sought to determine whether AhR specifically in Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AT2) modulates allergic airway inflammation and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: The role of AhR in AT2 cells in airway inflammation was investigated in a mouse model of asthma with AhR conditional knock out mice in AT2 cells (Sftpc-Cre;AhRflox/flox). The effect of AhR on allergen-induced autophagy was examined by both in vivo and in vitro analyses. The involvement of autophagy in airway inflammation was analyzed by using autophagy inhibitor chloroquine. The AhR-regulated gene profiling in AT2 cells was also investigated by RNA-seq analysis. Results: Sftpc-Cre; AhRflox/flox mice showed exacerbation of allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation with elevated Th2 and airway epithelial-derived cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Notably, an increased allergen-induced autophagy was observed in the lung tissues of Sftpc-Cre; AhRflox/flox mice when compared with wild-type mice. Further analyses suggested a functional axis of AhR-TGF-β1 that is critical in driving allergic airway inflammation through regulating allergen-induced cellular autophagy. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy suppressed allergic airway inflammation with decreased Th2 and epithelial cell-derived cytokines in BALFs. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis suggests that autophagy is one of the major pathways and CALCOCO2/NDP52 and S1009 are major autophagy-associated genes in AT2 cells that contribute to the AhR-mediated allergic airway inflammation. Conclusion: These results suggest that AhR in AT2 cells functions as a protective mechanism against allergic airway inflammation through controlling cell autophagy.
Project description:Asthma is characterized by exacerbated responses to environmental triggers such as allergen. While pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), a rare population of airway epithelial cells, are essential for amplifying allergen-induced asthma response, how they are regulated to achieve this role remains poorly understood. Here we show that in the adult mouse airway, inactivation of achaete-scute like 1 (Ascl1) gene in PNECs led to loss of these cells. Intriguingly, exposure of these mutants to house dust mites (HDM), a common allergen, led to reappearance of PNECs. Similarly, exposure of wild-type mice to HDM led to PNEC hyperplasia, a result of proliferation of existing PNECs and transdifferentiation from club cells. Single cell RNAseq experiments revealed PNEC heterogeneity, including the appearance of an allergen-induced PNEC subtype. Intracellular Notch1 is downregulated in HDM-treated airway, and treatment by Notch agonist prevented PNEC hyperplasia. These findings together suggest that HDM-induced PNEC hyperplasia may contribute to exacerbated asthma response.
Project description:This protocol outlines a single-site mechanistic study aiming to investigate long RNAs differentially expressed in the airway epithelium of asthma patients both at baseline and in response to segmental airway allergen challenges. Over approximately 14 days, the study spanned three visits: Visit 1: Comprehensive characterization of participants, encompassing lung function testing, methacholine challenge testing, and allergen skin prick testing. Visit 2: Participants underwent bronchoscopy wherein three procedures were performed a. Epithelial brushings were performed in a segmental airway (baseline sample) b. Diluent (inactive control) was instilled into another segmental airway c. A small dose of allergen was administered into a third segmental airway using standardized cat or dust mite allergen extracts. Visit 3 (24 hours or 7 days post Visit 2): Another bronchoscopy was carried out to collect epithelial brushings in the diluent challenged and allergen challenged segments The collected epithelial brush samples underwent analysis for mRNA expression in the epithelial brushings. The study successfully incorporated a total of 23 subjects, which included 18 asthmatics (with stable or well-controlled conditions), 2 allergic non-asthmatics, and 3 non-allergic non-asthmatics.
Project description:This study examines the innate immune response of human pluripotent stem cell derived airway epithelium. Immune challenge was performed with TNF-alpha or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Airway epithelium differentiated from the ES line CA2 was compared to paired differentiated cells stimulated with either TNF-alpha or LPS
Project description:Background: Cellular senescence has emerged as a key contributor to the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), a nuclear transcription factor, regulates senescence across multiple cell types. However, the role of PPAR-γ in allergic airway inflammation, particularly through regulation of macrophage senescence, remains poorly defined. Methods: Cellular senescence was evaluated in an allergic asthma mouse model using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Senescent cells were selectively eliminated with dasatinib and quercetin (D&Q) to assess their contribution to disease pathogenesis. Macrophage-lineage-specific PPAR-γ conditional knockout model (PpargΔCD11c) were generated to define the role of macrophage PPAR-γ in senescence and allergic airway inflammation. PPAR-γ activity was further examined in isolated alveolar macrophages and in vivo using rosiglitazone, including macrophage-targeted delivery via phosphatidylserine-modified liposomes (PSL-ROSI). Findings: scRNA-seq analysis revealed enhanced senescence signatures in mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs), characterized by increased SenMayo scores and elevated Cdkn2a (p16) expression. Clearance of senescent cells significantly reduced airway inflammation and Th2 cytokine levels (IL-4, IL-5). Correlation analysis identified PPAR-γ as a key transcriptional regulator inversely associated with cellular senescence. Macrophage-lineage–specific deletion of PPAR-γ (PpargΔCD11c) exacerbated airway inflammation and increased cellular senescence. In vitro, rosiglitazone reduced allergen-induced senescence and suppressed proinflammatory mediators (IL-6, ICAM-1, CCL4, CCL5, TIMP-1, TNF-α) in alveolar macrophages. In vivo, rosiglitazone and inhaled PSL-ROSI attenuated cockroach allergen-induced airway inflammation, with PSL-ROSI effectively bypassing the airway mucus barrier to deliver rosiglitazone to lung macrophages. Integrated chromatin binding and transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that PPAR-γ promotes macrophage lipid metabolic programs (e.g., CD36, Fabp4). Interpretation: These findings identify macrophage senescence as a pathogenic driver of allergic airway inflammation and establish PPAR-γ as a critical regulator of macrophage senescence and homeostasis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for asthma.
Project description:Cigarette smoke (CS)-induced airway inflammation is an important pathologic feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent studies suggest a potential role of JunD in the regulation of inflammation, but its role in CS-induced airway inflammation has not been reported. This study aimed to determine its role in CS-induced airway inflammation through bioinformatics analysis and in vitro and in vivo experiments. Data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE37147) were analyzed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and key driver analysis (KDA), and these analyses were validated using the GSE47460 dataset. The effect of CS on JunD expression was examined in lung tissues of COPD patients and CS-exposed mice and in CS extract (CSE)-exposed BEAS-2B cells. The effects of CSE on airway epithelial inflammatory injury after JunD knockdown or overexpression were also investigated. mRNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq were used to explore the mechanism of JunD-mediated CS-induced airway inflammation. Mice were injected with adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9)-JunD vector or control vector and then exposed to CS for 4 weeks, and lung tissue morphology and airway inflammation were evaluated. KDA of the lung function-related gene modules in GSE37147 revealed a potential role of JunD in COPD, which was validated in GSE47460. JunD was downregulated in lung tissues of COPD patients and CS-exposed mice and in BEAS-2B cells. JunD knockdown aggravated CSE-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β release by BEAS-2B cells, while JunD overexpression attenuated these effects. mRNA-seq and ChIP-seq identified several JunD-regulated genes, which are involved in the immune response and TNF signaling pathway and are commonly dysregulated in cell models of airway inflammation. In vivo, JunD overexpression attenuated the CS-induced inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokine release in mouse lungs. Thus, JunD is involved in CS-induced airway inflammation and JunD-based therapy may be useful in CS-induced airway disorders.