Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1

Rationale: Airway remodeling in asthma is associated with the accumulation of fibroblasts, the primary cell responsible for synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix proteins. The process by which the number of fibroblasts increases in asthma is poorly understood, but epithelial-mesenchymal tr...

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Main Authors: Hackett, T.L., Warner, S.M., Stefanowicz, D., Shaheen, F., Pechkovsky, D.V., Murray, L.A., Argentieri, R., Kicic, Anthony, Stick, S.M., Bai, T.R., Knight, D.A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: AMER THORACIC SOC 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/76819
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author Hackett, T.L.
Warner, S.M.
Stefanowicz, D.
Shaheen, F.
Pechkovsky, D.V.
Murray, L.A.
Argentieri, R.
Kicic, Anthony
Stick, S.M.
Bai, T.R.
Knight, D.A.
author_facet Hackett, T.L.
Warner, S.M.
Stefanowicz, D.
Shaheen, F.
Pechkovsky, D.V.
Murray, L.A.
Argentieri, R.
Kicic, Anthony
Stick, S.M.
Bai, T.R.
Knight, D.A.
author_sort Hackett, T.L.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Rationale: Airway remodeling in asthma is associated with the accumulation of fibroblasts, the primary cell responsible for synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix proteins. The process by which the number of fibroblasts increases in asthma is poorly understood, but epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)may play a significant role. Objectives: To evaluate whether EMT occurs in primary airway epithelial cells (AECs), themechanisms involved, and if this process is altered in asthmatic AECs. Methods: AECs were obtained fromsubjects with asthma (n = 8) and normal subjects without asthma (n = 10). Monolayer and air-liquid interface-AEC (ALI-AEC) cultures were treated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (10 ng/ml) for 72 hours and assayed for mesenchymal and epithelial markers using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, confocal microscopy, and immunoblot. The involvement of BMP-7, Smad3, and MAPK-mediated signaling were also evaluated. Measurements and Main Results: TGF-β1-induced EMT in AEC monolayers derived from subjects with asthma and normal donors. EMT was characterized by changes in cellmorphology, increased expression of mesenchymal markers EDA-fibronectin, vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen-1, and loss of epithelial markers E-cadherin and zonular occludin-1. Inhibition of TGF-β1-induced signaling with Smad3-inhibiting siRNA or TGF-β1-neutralizing antibodies prevented and reversed EMT, respectively, whereas BMP-7 had no effect. In ALIAEC cultures derived from normal subjects, EMT was confined to basally situated cells, whereas in asthmatic ALI-AEC cultures EMT was widespread throughout the epithelium. Conclusions: TGF-β1 induces EMT in a Smad3-dependent manner in primary AECs. However, in asthmatic-derived ALI-AEC cultures, the number of cells undergoing EMT is greater. These findings support the hypothesis that epithelial repair in asthmatic airways is dysregulated.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-768192019-11-12T06:16:18Z Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1 Hackett, T.L. Warner, S.M. Stefanowicz, D. Shaheen, F. Pechkovsky, D.V. Murray, L.A. Argentieri, R. Kicic, Anthony Stick, S.M. Bai, T.R. Knight, D.A. Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Critical Care Medicine Respiratory System General & Internal Medicine asthma epithelial-mesenchymal transition transforming growth factor-beta 1 epithelium GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA RETICULAR BASEMENT-MEMBRANE ACTIVATED PROTEIN-KINASE PULMONARY-FIBROSIS EXPRESSION MOUSE LUNG SMAD TRANSDIFFERENTIATION TGF-BETA-1 Rationale: Airway remodeling in asthma is associated with the accumulation of fibroblasts, the primary cell responsible for synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix proteins. The process by which the number of fibroblasts increases in asthma is poorly understood, but epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)may play a significant role. Objectives: To evaluate whether EMT occurs in primary airway epithelial cells (AECs), themechanisms involved, and if this process is altered in asthmatic AECs. Methods: AECs were obtained fromsubjects with asthma (n = 8) and normal subjects without asthma (n = 10). Monolayer and air-liquid interface-AEC (ALI-AEC) cultures were treated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (10 ng/ml) for 72 hours and assayed for mesenchymal and epithelial markers using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, confocal microscopy, and immunoblot. The involvement of BMP-7, Smad3, and MAPK-mediated signaling were also evaluated. Measurements and Main Results: TGF-β1-induced EMT in AEC monolayers derived from subjects with asthma and normal donors. EMT was characterized by changes in cellmorphology, increased expression of mesenchymal markers EDA-fibronectin, vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen-1, and loss of epithelial markers E-cadherin and zonular occludin-1. Inhibition of TGF-β1-induced signaling with Smad3-inhibiting siRNA or TGF-β1-neutralizing antibodies prevented and reversed EMT, respectively, whereas BMP-7 had no effect. In ALIAEC cultures derived from normal subjects, EMT was confined to basally situated cells, whereas in asthmatic ALI-AEC cultures EMT was widespread throughout the epithelium. Conclusions: TGF-β1 induces EMT in a Smad3-dependent manner in primary AECs. However, in asthmatic-derived ALI-AEC cultures, the number of cells undergoing EMT is greater. These findings support the hypothesis that epithelial repair in asthmatic airways is dysregulated. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/76819 10.1164/rccm.200811-1730OC English AMER THORACIC SOC restricted
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Critical Care Medicine
Respiratory System
General & Internal Medicine
asthma
epithelial-mesenchymal transition
transforming growth factor-beta 1
epithelium
GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA
RETICULAR BASEMENT-MEMBRANE
ACTIVATED PROTEIN-KINASE
PULMONARY-FIBROSIS
EXPRESSION
MOUSE
LUNG
SMAD
TRANSDIFFERENTIATION
TGF-BETA-1
Hackett, T.L.
Warner, S.M.
Stefanowicz, D.
Shaheen, F.
Pechkovsky, D.V.
Murray, L.A.
Argentieri, R.
Kicic, Anthony
Stick, S.M.
Bai, T.R.
Knight, D.A.
Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title_full Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title_fullStr Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title_full_unstemmed Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title_short Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
title_sort induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary airway epithelial cells from patients with asthma by transforming growth factor-β1
topic Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Critical Care Medicine
Respiratory System
General & Internal Medicine
asthma
epithelial-mesenchymal transition
transforming growth factor-beta 1
epithelium
GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA
RETICULAR BASEMENT-MEMBRANE
ACTIVATED PROTEIN-KINASE
PULMONARY-FIBROSIS
EXPRESSION
MOUSE
LUNG
SMAD
TRANSDIFFERENTIATION
TGF-BETA-1
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/76819