LTB4 Promotes Acute Lung Injury via Upregulating the PLCε-1/TLR4/NF-κB Pathway in One-Lung Ventilation

Background. Mechanical ventilation (MV) can provoke acute lung injury (ALI) by increasing inflammation activation and disrupting the barrier in lung tissues even causing death. However, the inflammation-related molecules and pathways in MV-induced ALI remain largely unknown. Hence, the purposes of this study are to examine the role and mechanism of a novel inflammation-related molecule, leukotriene B4 (LTB4), in ALI. Methods. The functions of LTB4 in one-lung ventilation (OLV) model were detected by the loss-of-function experiments. H&E staining was used to examine the pathologic changes of lung tissues. Functionally, PLCε-1 knockdown and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB pathway inhibitor were used to detect the regulatory effects of LTB4 on the phospholipase Cε (PLCε-1)/TLR4/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. The levels of genes and proteins were determined by RT-qPCR and western blotting assay. The levels of inflammation cytokines and chemokines were measured by ELISA. Results. Here, we found LTA4H, leukotriene B (4) receptor 1 (BLT1), LTB4, and PLCε-1 upregulated in OLV rats and associated with inflammatory activation and lung permeability changes of lung tissues. Inhibition of LTB4 alleviated the OLV-induced ALI by inhibiting inflammatory activation and lung permeability changes of lung tissues. For mechanism analyses, LTB4 promoted OLV-induced ALI by activating the PLCε-1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Conclusion. LTB4 induced ALI in OLV rats by activating the PLCε-1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Our findings might supply a new potential therapeutic for OLV-induced ALI.

New Mechanism For Mesenchymal Stem Cell Microvesicle To Restore Lung Permeability: Intracellular S1P Signaling Pathway Independent of S1P Receptor-1

Background: Microvesicles (MV) derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) were demonstrated to restore lung protein permeability and attenuate acute lung injury (ALI). In our previous study, we found that MSC MV increased sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) kinase1 mRNA levels in injured human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVEC) significantly. However, the role of S1P signaling in MSC MV to restore lung protein permeability is unknown.Methods: In this study, we hypothesized that MSC MV might restore lung permeability in part through increasing intracellular S1P signaling pathway in injured HLMVEC independent of S1P receptors. We used the transwell co-culture system to study the effect of MSC MV on protein permeability of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) damaged HLMVEC. Results: Our results showed that LPS significantly increased the permeability of HLMVEC to FITC-dextran (70 kDa) within 24 hours. MSC MV restores this permeability, and to a large extent prevents the cytoskeleton protein F-actin from recombining into "actin stress fibers", and restores the positions of tight junctions and adhesion junctions in the damaged HLMVEC. This therapeutic effect of MSC MV was related to the increase in the S1P level in injured HLMVEC and was not eliminated when adding the antagonist of S1P receptor, suggesting that MSC MV to restore lung permeability was independent of S1P receptors on HLMVEC. Laser confocal further observed that Ca2+ mobilization and Rac1 activiation in LPS injured HLMVEC were increased in parallel with the increase in intracellular S1P level after MSC MV treatment. Conclusions: In short, MSC MV partially restored protein permeability across HLMVEC through the intracellular S1P signaling pathway independent of S1P receptor-1.

R-spondin 2 mediates neutrophil egress into the alveolar space through increased lung permeability.

Objective R-spondin 2 (RSPO2) is required for lung morphogenesis, activates Wnt signaling, and is upregulated in idiopathic lung fibrosis. Our objective was to investigate whether RSPO2 is similarly important in homeostasis of the adult lung. While investigating the characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage in RSPO2-deficient (RSPO2-/-) mice, we observed unexpected changes in neutrophil homeostasis and vascular permeability when compared to control (RSPO2+/+) mice at baseline. Here we quantify these observations to explore how tonic RSPO2 expression impacts lung homeostasis. Results Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated significantly elevated myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells from RSPO2-/- mice. Likewise, immunocytochemical (ICC) analysis demonstrated significantly more MPO+ cells in BALF from RSPO2-/- mice compared to controls, confirming the increase of infiltrated neutrophils. We then assessed lung permeability/barrier disruption via Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran instillation and found a significantly higher dextran concentration in the plasma of RSPO2-/- mice compared to identically treated RSPO2+/+ mice. These data demonstrate that RSPO2 may be crucial for blood-gas barrier integrity and can limit neutrophil migration from circulation into alveolar spaces associated with increased lung permeability and/or barrier disruption. This study indicates that additional research is needed to evaluate RSPO2 in scenarios characterized by pulmonary edema or neutrophilia.

R-spondin 2 mediates neutrophil egress into the alveolar space through increased lung permeability.

Objective: R-spondin 2 (RSPO2) is required for proper lung morphogenesis. Our objective was to investigate whether RSPO2 is similarly important in homeostasis of the adult lung. Unexpectedly, we observed changes in neutrophil migration and lung vascular permeability in RSPO2-deficient (RSPO2-/-) mice compared to RSPO2 control (RSPO2+/+) mice, independent of experimental injury/challenge. Here we use multiple methods to quantify these observations to further understand how tonic RSPO2 expression regulates lung homeostasis. Results: Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated significantly higher myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell content from RSPO2-/- mice compared to RSPO2+/+ mice. Immunocytochemical (ICC) analysis likewise demonstrated significantly more MPO+ cells in BALF from RSPO2-/- mice compared to RSPO2+/+ mice, confirming the increase of infiltrated neutrophils. We then assessed lung permeability/barrier disruption via Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran instillation and found a significantly higher dextran concentration in the plasma of RSPO2-/- mice compared to identically treated RSPO2+/+ mice. These data demonstrate that RSPO2 may be crucial for lung barrier integrity and can facilitate an increase in neutrophil migration from circulation into alveolar spaces due to increased lung permeability/barrier disruption. Our studies suggest additional research is needed to evaluate RSPO2 in scenarios exhibiting either pulmonary edema or neutrophilia.