Eicosanoids are lipid-signaling mediators released by many cells in response to various stimuli. Increasing evidence suggests that eicosanoids such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins (PGs) may directly mediate remodeling. In this study, we assessed whether these substances could alter extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and the inflammatory profiles of primary human airway smooth muscle cells (ASM) and fibroblasts. PGE2 decreased both fibronectin and tenascin C in fibroblasts but only fibronectin in ASM. PGD2 decreased both fibronectin and tenascin C in both ASM and fibroblasts, whereas PGF2α had no effect on ECM deposition. The selective PGI2 analog, MRE-269, decreased fibronectin but not tenascin C in both cell types. All the PGs increased IL-6 and IL-8 release in a dose-dependent manner in ASM and fibroblasts. Changes in ECM deposition and cytokine release induced by prostaglandins in both ASM and fibroblasts were independent of an effect on cell number. Neither the acute nor repeated stimulation with leukotrienes had an effect on the deposition of ECM proteins or cytokine release from ASM or fibroblasts. We concluded that, collectively, these results provide evidence that PGs may contribute to ECM remodeling to a greater extent than leukotrienes in airway cells.
Extracellular Matrix Stiffness Regulates Force Transmission Pathways in Multicellular Ensembles of Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells
