Project description:We investigated whether in vitro expansion of human alveolar epithelial type II cells is possible. We found that human endogenous human alveolar epithelial type II cells can be cultured and passaged. The culture system enabled retroviral gene transduction into human alveolar epithelial type II cells. We performed RNA sequencing of human alveolar epithelial type II cells transduced with mutant surfactant protein C or control vector.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of the rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383) and human alveolar epithelial cell line (A549) exposure to iron-enriched pristine single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or their purified SWCNTs were employed to gain insights at the transcriptional level.
Project description:To further development of our gene expression approach to assess the effects of manufactured nanomaterials at the molecular level, we have employed whole genome microarray expression profiling as a discovery platform to identify genes with the potential to distinguish characterization of physico-chemical properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Three kinds of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), CNT-1, CNT-2 or CNT-3 induced gene expression in human alveolar epithelial cell lines were measured at 24 and 48 hours exposure to doses of 90.8μg/mL (CNT-1), 109.0μg/mL (CNT-2), and 77.0μg/mL (CNT-2). Three independent experiments were performed at each time (24 or 48 hours) using different untreated control for each experiment (n=4).
Project description:Cellular senescence due to telomere dysfunction has been hypothesized to play a role in age-associated diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). It has been postulated that paracrine mediators originating from senescent alveolar epithelia signal to surrounding mesenchymal cells and contribute to disease pathogenesis. However, murine models of telomere-induced alveolar epithelial senescence fail to display the canonical senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that is observed in senescent human cells. In an effort to understand human-specific responses to telomere dysfunction, we modelled telomere dysfunction-induced senescence in a human alveolar epithelial cell line. We hypothesized that this system would enable us to probe for differences in transcriptional and proteomic senescence pathways in vitro and to identify novel secreted protein (secretome) changes that potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of IPF. Following induction of telomere dysfunction, a robust senescence phenotype was observed. RNA-Seq analysis of the senescent cells revealed the SASP and comparisons to previous murine data highlighted species-specific responses to telomere dysfunction. We then conducted a proteomic analysis of the senescent cells using a novel biotin ligase capable of labeling secreted proteins. Candidate biomarkers selected from our transcriptional and secretome data were then evaluated in IPF and control patient plasma. Four novel proteins were found to be differentially expressed between the patient groups: stanniocalcin-1, contactin-1, tenascin C, and total inhibin. Our data show that human telomere-induced, alveolar epithelial senescence results in a transcriptional SASP that is distinct from that seen in analogous murine cells. Our findings suggest that studies in animal models should be carefully validated given the species-specific responses to telomere dysfunction. We also describe a pragmatic approach for the study of the consequences of telomere-induced alveolar epithelial cell senescence in humans.
Project description:The pulmonary alveolar epithelium which play key role in lung biological function is mainly composed of two types of epithelial cells: alveolar type I (AT1) and type II (AT2) cells. We know very little about developmental heterogeneity of the AT1 cell population. By using 10X genomics “Chromium Single Cell” technology, we performed single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analyses of AT1 cells at postnatal day 3 (P3), P15, and P60, along with AT2 cells (P60) in mice. Our study identified a robust new genetic marker (Igfbp2) of postnatal AT1 cells. The study also provided the transcriptome information of AT1 cells during alveologensis.
Project description:Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were differentiated into alveolar epithelial cells in the fibroblast-dependent (FD) or fibroblast-free (FF) alveolar organoids (AO). Then the epithelial cells in FD-AOs or FF-AOs were subjected to scRNA-seq. Then, human iPSC-derived AT1 (iAT1) cells were demonstrated to be included in FD-AOs, not in FF-AOs. In addition, XAV-939 increased iAT1 cell population in FD-AOs.
Project description:Resident stem/progenitor cells in the lung are important for tissue homeostasis and repair. However, a progenitor population for alveolar type II (ATII) cells in adult human lungs have not been identified. Here we isolated alveolar epithelial progenitor cells (AEPCs) from adult human lungs. AEPCs showed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like characteristics combined with ATII cell-phenotypes. AEPCs had the capability for self-renewal and the potential to generate ATII cells in vitro. Furthermore, cells expressing similar markers were present within alveolar walls in normal lungs and these cells were significantly increased in ATII cell hyperplasias. These results suggest that adult human lungs contain a progenitor population for ATII cells.
Project description:Human alveolar epithelial cells were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 1, 3 and 5 weeks at 1%, 5% and 10%, and gene expression was evaluated by complete transcriptome microarrays. In this study we explored the effect of cigarette smoke on the gene expression profile. Human alveolar epithelial cells stimulated with three different concentractions of CSE (1%, 5% and 10%) and for 1, 3 and 5 weeks were used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.