scholarly journals Distinct Time Courses and Pathogenic Contributions of Alveolar Epithelial and Endothelial Injury in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome With COVID-19: Evidence From Circulating Biomarkers

Author(s):  
Kentaro Tojo ◽  
Natsuhiro Yamamoto ◽  
Takahiro Mihara ◽  
Miyo Abe ◽  
Takahisa Goto

Abstract Background: In severe cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with alveolar tissue injury occurs. However, the time course and specific contributions of alveolar epithelial and endothelial injury to the pathogenesis of COVID-19 ARDS remain unclear.Methods: We evaluated the levels of a circulating alveolar epithelial injury marker (soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products: sRAGE) and an endothelial injury marker (angiopoietin-2: ANG-2), along with an alveolar permeability indicator (surfactant protein D: SP-D) in 107 serum samples from nine patients with ARDS and eight without ARDS, all with COVID-19, admitted to Yokohama City University Hospital from January to July 2020. We compared the initial levels of these markers between ARDS and non-ARDS patients, and analysed the temporal changes of these markers in ARDS patients. Results: All the initial levels of sRAGE (median: 2680 pg/mL, IQR:1522–5076 vs. median 701 pg/mL, IQR:344–1148.0, p=0.0152), ANG-2 (median: 699 pg/mL, IQR: 410-2501 vs. median: 231 pg/mL, IQR: 64-584, p=0.0464), and SP-D (median: 17542 pg/mL, IQR: 7423-22979 vs. 1771 pg/mL, IQR: 458-204, p=0.0274) were significantly higher in the ARDS patients than in the non-ARDS patients. The peak sRAGE level in the ARDS patients was observed at the very early phase of disease progression (median: day 1, IQR: day 1–3.5). However, the peaks of ANG-2 (median: day 4, IQR: day 2.5–6) and SPD (median: day 5, IQR: day 3–7.5) were observed at a later phase. Moreover, the ANG-2 level was significantly correlated with the arterial oxygenation (p=0.030) and the SPD level (p=0.002), but the sRAGE level was not. Conclusion: Evaluation of circulating markers confirms that COVID-19 ARDS is characterised by severe alveolar tissue injury. Our data indicate that the endothelial injury, which continues for a longer period than the epithelial injury, seems to be the main contributor to alveolar barrier disruption. Targeting the endothelial injury may, thus, be a promising approach to overcome ARDS with COVID-19.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentaro Tojo ◽  
Natsuhiro Yamamoto ◽  
Takahiro Mihara ◽  
Miyo Abe ◽  
Takahisa Goto

AbstractBackgroundIn severe cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with alveolar tissue injury occurs. However, the time course and specific contributions of alveolar epithelial and endothelial injury to the pathogenesis of COVID-19 ARDS remain unclear.MethodsWe evaluated the levels of a circulating alveolar epithelial injury marker (soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products: sRAGE) and an endothelial injury marker (angiopoietin-2: ANG-2), along with an alveolar permeability indicator (surfactant protein D: SP-D) in 107 serum samples from nine patients with ARDS and eight without ARDS, all with COVID-19. We compared the initial levels of these markers between ARDS and non-ARDS patients, and analysed the temporal changes of these markers in ARDS patients.FindingsAll the initial levels of sRAGE, ANG-2, and SP-D were significantly higher in the ARDS patients than in the non-ARDS patients. The peak sRAGE level in the ARDS patients was observed at the very early phase of disease progression. However, the peaks of ANG-2 and SPD were observed at a later phase. Moreover, the ANG-2 level was significantly correlated with the arterial oxygenation and the SPD level, but the sRAGE level was not.InterpretationEvaluation of circulating markers confirms that COVID-19 ARDS is characterised by severe alveolar tissue injury. Our data indicate that the endothelial injury, which continues for a longer period than the epithelial injury, seems to be the main contributor to alveolar barrier disruption. Targeting the endothelial injury may, thus, be a promising approach to overcome ARDS with COVID-19.FundingNone


2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (5) ◽  
pp. L825-L832
Author(s):  
Eric D. Morrell ◽  
Serge Grazioli ◽  
Chi Hung ◽  
Osamu Kajikawa ◽  
Susanna Kosamo ◽  
...  

The cellular communication network factor 1 (CCN1) is a matricellular protein that can modulate multiple tissue responses, including inflammation and repair. We have previously shown that adenoviral overexpression of Ccn1 is sufficient to cause acute lung injury in mice. We hypothesized that CCN1 is present in the airspaces of lungs during the acute phase of lung injury, and higher concentrations are associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) severity. We tested this hypothesis by measuring 1) CCN1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung homogenates from mice subjected to ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI), 2) Ccn1 gene expression and protein levels in MLE-12 cells (alveolar epithelial cell line) subjected to mechanical stretch, and 3) CCN1 in BALF from mechanically ventilated humans with and without ARDS. BALF CCN1 concentrations and whole lung CCN1 protein levels were significantly increased in mice with VILI ( n = 6) versus noninjured controls ( n = 6). Ccn1 gene expression and CCN1 protein levels were increased in MLE-12 cells cultured under stretch conditions. Subjects with ARDS ( n = 77) had higher BALF CCN1 levels compared with mechanically ventilated subjects without ARDS ( n = 45) ( P < 0.05). In subjects with ARDS, BALF CCN1 concentrations were associated with higher total protein, sRAGE, and worse [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratios (all P < 0.05). CCN1 is present in the lungs of mice and humans during the acute inflammatory phase of lung injury, and concentrations are higher in patients with increased markers of severity. Alveolar epithelial cells may be an important source of CCN1 under mechanical stretch conditions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 204589402096535
Author(s):  
Pratap Karki ◽  
Konstantin G. Birukov ◽  
Anna A. Birukova

Extracellular histones released from injured or dying cells following trauma and other severe insults can act as potent damage-associated molecular patterns. In fact, elevated levels of histones are present in human circulation in hyperinflammatory states such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. The molecular mechanisms owing to histone-induced pathologies are at the very beginning of elucidating. However, neutralization of histones with antibodies, histone-binding or histone-degrading proteins, and heparan sulfates have shown promising therapeutic effects in pre-clinical acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis models. Various cell types undergoing necrosis and apoptosis or activated neutrophils forming neutrophil extracellular traps have been implicated in excessive release of histones which further augments tissue injury and may culminate in multiple organ failure. At the molecular level, an uncontrolled inflammatory cascade has been considered as the major event; however, histone-activated coagulation and thrombosis represent additional pathologic events reflecting coagulopathy. Furthermore, epigenetic regulation and chemical modifications of circulating histones appear to be critically important in their biological functions as evidenced by increased cytotoxicity associated with citrullinated histone. Herein, we will briefly review the current knowledge on the role of histones in acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis, and discuss the future potential of anti-histone therapy for treatment of these life-threatening disorders.


2015 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 1084-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brant M. Wagener ◽  
Jérémie Roux ◽  
Michel Carles ◽  
Jean-Francois Pittet

Abstract Background: Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who retain maximal alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) have better clinical outcomes. The release of endogenous catecholamines associated with shock or the administration of β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) agonists enhances AFC via a 3′-5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate–dependent mechanism. The authors have previously reported that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), two major mediators of alveolar inflammation associated with the early phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome, inhibit AFC upregulation by β2AR agonists via a phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)–dependent mechanism. However, whether TGF-β1 and IL-8 cause an additive or synergistic inhibition of AFC is unclear. Thus, the central hypothesis of the study was to determine whether they synergistically inhibit the β2AR-stimulated AFC by activating two different isoforms of PI3K. Methods: The effects of TGF-β1 or IL-8 on β2AR agonist–stimulated net alveolar fluid transport were studied using short-circuit current studies. Molecular pathways of inhibition were confirmed by pharmacologic inhibitors and Western blotting of p-Akt, G-protein–coupled receptor kinase 2, protein kinase C-ζ, and phospho-β2AR. Finally, our observations were confirmed by an in vivo model of AFC. Results: Combined exposure to TGF-β1 and IL-8/cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 caused synergistic inhibition of β2AR agonist–stimulated vectorial Cl− across alveolar epithelial type II cells (n = 12 in each group). This effect was explained by activation of different isoforms of PI3K by TGF-β1 and IL-8/cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (n = 12 in each group). Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on 3′-5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate–stimulated alveolar epithelial fluid transport required the presence of IL-8/cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (n = 12 in each group). Inhibition of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 prevented TGF-β1–mediated heterologous β2AR downregulation and restored physiologic β2AR agonist–stimulated AFC in rats (n = 6 in each group). Conclusions: TGF-β1 and IL-8 have a synergistic inhibitory effect on β2AR-mediated stimulation of pulmonary edema removal by the alveolar epithelium. This result may, in part, explain why a large proportion of the patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome have impaired AFC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Esquivel-Ruiz ◽  
Paloma González-Rodríguez ◽  
José A. Lorente ◽  
Francisco Pérez-Vizcaíno ◽  
Raquel Herrero ◽  
...  

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate intercellular communication by transferring genetic material, proteins and organelles between different cells types in both health and disease. Recent evidence suggests that these vesicles, more than simply diagnostic markers, are key mediators of the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other lung diseases. In this review, we will discuss the contribution of EVs released by pulmonary structural cells (alveolar epithelial and endothelial cells) and immune cells in these diseases, with particular attention to their ability to modulate inflammation and alveolar-capillary barrier disruption, a hallmark of ARDS. EVs also offer a unique opportunity to develop new therapeutics for the treatment of ARDS. Evidences supporting the ability of stem cell-derived EVs to attenuate the lung injury and ongoing strategies to improve their therapeutic potential are also discussed.


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