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Airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell dysfunction is an important component of several obstructive pulmonary diseases, particularly asthma. External stimuli such as allergens, dust, air pollutants, and change in environmental temperatures provoke ASM cell hypertrophy, proliferation, and migration without adequate mechanistic controls. ASM cells can switch between quiescent, migratory, and proliferative phenotypes in response to extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors, and other soluble mediators. While some aspects of airway hypertrophy and remodeling could have beneficial effects, in many cases these contribute to a clinical phenotype of difficult to control asthma. In this review, we discuss the factors responsible for ASM hypertrophy and proliferation in asthma, focusing on cytokines, growth factors, and ion transporters, and discuss existing and potential approaches that specifically target ASM hypertrophy to reduce the ASM mass and improve asthma symptoms. The goal of this review is to highlight strategies that appear ready for translational investigations to improve asthma therapy.

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BACKGROUND: Purinergic receptors control cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, inflammation, and cytokine secretion. Increased expression of specific purinergic receptors is reported in asthma. The role of purinergic P2Y6 receptors (P2Y6R) in asthma is controversial. HYPOTHESIS: P2Y6R activation in asthma improves pulmonary function and reduces inflammation and smooth muscle amount. METHODS: Female mice (C57/BL6, age 30 days) were randomly assigned to receive intranasal house dust mite (HDM) antigen (40 or 80 µg) or saline, 5 days/week, for 6 weeks. Randomly selected subgroups received intraperitoneal P2Y6R agonist prodrug (GC021109; 10 or 100 µg/kg weight/dose) simultaneously with HDM. After 6 weeks, lung function was measured. Lung lavage fluid (LLF) was used to measure total cell count, total protein, and cytokines. Immunohistochemistry for alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was done. Airway wall thickness was measured on micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) images. RESULTS: Pulmonary function testing revealed a HDM dose-dependent airway hyperresponsiveness. Airway resistance was increased 2-fold while compliance was decreased by 50% at the higher HDM dose (P<0.05). GC021109 prevented these changes. HDM-exposed mice had elevated inflammatory cell and total protein levels in LLF which were prevented by GC021109 (P<0.05). HDM mice also had elevated LLF levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-12, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, chemokine (C-X-C) motif ligand 1, and leukemia inhibitory factor that were reduced by GC021109 with a dose-dependent pattern. HDM mice had increased peribronchial and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration and increased α-SMA; these changes were absent with GC021109. Airway wall thickness measured on micro-CT images was increased after HDM exposure and significantly reduced by GC021109 treatment. CONCLUSION: The P2Y6R prodrug GC021109 inhibited allergen-induced changes in pulmonary function, inflammatory responses, and airway and vascular smooth muscle mass. P2Y6R activation may be an effective therapeutic maintenance strategy in asthma.

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The temporal origins of childhood asthma are incompletely understood. We hypothesize that allergen sensitization which begins in early infancy causes IgE-mediated airway and vascular remodeling, and airway hyper-responsiveness. Mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) without or with anti-IgE antibody from postnatal day (P) 10 through P42. We studied airway resistance in response to Methacholine (MCh) challenge, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) inflammatory cell content, immunohistochemistry for inflammation, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) proteins, and Western blotting for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein. Compared to controls, mice treated with OVA had increased airway resistance (baseline: 192% of control; MCH 12 mg/mL 170% of control; P less than 0.0.5). OVA treatment also increased lung alpha-SMA, VEGF and PECAM compared to controls. Inflammatory cells in the BAL and perivascular and peribronchiolar inflammatory cell infiltrates increased over controls with OVA exposure. These changes were counteracted by anti-IgE treatment. We conclude that mice sensitized in early infancy develop an IgE-mediated hyper-reactive airway disease with airway and vascular remodeling. Preventive approaches in early infancy of at-risk individuals may reduce childhood asthma.

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Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease of preterm infants characterized by arrested microvascularization and alveolarization. Studies show the importance of proangiogenic factors for alveolarization, but the importance of antiangiogenic factors is unknown. We proposed that hyperoxia increases the potent angiostatin, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), in neonatal lungs, inhibiting alveolarization and microvascularization. Wild-type (WT) and PEDF(-/-) mice were exposed to room air (RA) or 0.9 fraction of inspired oxygen from Postnatal Day 5 to 13. PEDF protein was increased in hyperoxic lungs compared with RA-exposed lungs (P < 0.05). In situ hybridization and immunofluorescence identified PEDF production primarily in alveolar epithelium. Hyperoxia reduced alveolarization in WT mice (P < 0.05) but not in PEDF(-/-) mice. WT hyperoxic mice had fewer platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM)-positive cells per alveolus (1.4 ± 0.4) than RA-exposed mice (4.3 ± 0.3; P < 0.05); this reduction was absent in hyperoxic PEDF(-/-) mice. The interactive regulation of lung microvascularization by vascular endothelial growth factor and PEDF was studied in vitro using MFLM-91U cells, a fetal mouse lung endothelial cell line. Vascular endothelial growth factor stimulation of proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation was inhibited by PEDF. MFLM-91U cells exposed to conditioned medium (CM) from E17 fetal mouse lung type II (T2) cells cultured in 0.9 fraction of inspired oxygen formed fewer capillary tubes than CM from T2 cells cultured in RA (hyperoxia CM, 51 ± 10% of RA CM, P < 0.05), an effect abolished by PEDF antibody. We conclude that PEDF mediates reduced vasculogenesis and alveolarization in neonatal hyperoxia. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia likely results from an altered balance between pro- and antiangiogenic factors.

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Matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) is increased in lung injury following hyperoxia exposure in neonatal mice, in association with impaired alveolar development. We studied the role of MMP-9 in the mechanism of hyperoxia-induced functional and histological changes in neonatal mouse lung. Reduced alveolarization with remodeling of ECM is a major morbidity component of oxidant injury in developing lung. MMP-9 mediates oxidant injury in developing lung causing altered lung remodeling. Five-day-old neonatal wild-type (WT) and MMP-9 (-/-) mice were exposed to hyperoxia for 8 days. The lungs were inflation fixed, and sections were examined for morphometry. The mean linear intercept and alveolar counts were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry for MMP-9 and elastin was performed. MMP-2, MMP-9, type I collagen, and tropoelastin were measured by Western blot analysis. Lung quasistatic compliance was studied in anaesthetized mice. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly increased in lungs of WT mice exposed to hyperoxia compared with controls. Immunohistochemistry showed an increase in MMP-9 in mesenchyme and alveolar epithelium of hyperoxic lungs. The lungs of hyperoxia-exposed WT mice had less gas exchange surface area and were less compliant compared with room air-exposed WT and hyperoxia-exposed MMP-9 (-/-) mice. Type I collagen and tropoelastin were increased in hyperoxia-exposed WT with aberrant elastin staining. These changes were ameliorated in hyperoxia-exposed MMP-9 (-/-) mice. MMP-9 plays an important role in the structural changes consequent to oxygen-induced lung injury. Blocking MMP-9 activity may lead to novel therapeutic approaches in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

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We examined the cytoprotective effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-11 (IL-11) during oxidant injury in neonatal lung and the regulators of cell death in vitro and in vivo after oxidant exposure. Type II cells from day 21 fetal neonatal rat lungs were treated with varying concentrations of either IL-6 or IL-11 for 24 hr prior to exposure to H(2)O(2). Three-day-old transgenic lung-specific IL-11 and IL-6 overexpressing and wild type (WT) mouse pups were exposed to hyperoxia or room air for 3 days. Type II cells exposed to either IL-6 or IL-11 prior to oxidant injury exhibited improved survival compared to controls, 67% +/- 2.6 survivals in IL-6 pretreated cells compared to 48% +/- 1.6 in control; 63% +/- 3 survivals in IL-11 pretreated cells compared to 49% +/- 2.6 in control. The number of TUNEL positive cells in hyperoxia-exposed lungs was increased compared to room air animals (27 +/- 0.9 vs. 4 +/- 0.4; mean +/- SEM; P < 0.05). In contrast, the number of TUNEL positive cells was reduced in hyperoxia-exposed lungs from IL-11 (+) mice (15.2 +/- 2.2; mean +/- SEM; P < 0.05). There was an enhanced accumulation of Bcl-2 and reduction of Bax protein in hyperoxia-exposed IL-11 (+) compared to room air-exposed mice. This was not seen in hyperoxia-exposed IL-6 (+) pups. An increase in caspase-3 was seen in hyperoxia-exposed lungs of WT pups compared to IL-11 (+) pups. IL-11 and IL-6 provide protective effects against oxidant-mediated injury in fetal type II cells and IL-11 provides protection in vivo by down-regulation of caspase-mediated cell death.

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UNLABELLED: Bronchial wall remodeling is a major morbidity component in oxidant injury in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and asthma. HYPOTHESIS: IGF-1 enhances alpha smooth muscle expression and collagen synthesis in developing lung fibroblasts leading to fibrosis through nuclear NF-(k)B -dependent transcription. We studied NF-(k)B dependent transcription by transfecting HFLF with a NF-(k)B responsive promoter driving the luciferase gene and treating with IGF-1 (100 ng/mL) and measuring luciferase activity. We exposed cells to the PI-3 kinase inhibitor or the Erk1/2 inhibitor one hr before stimulating with IGF-1. We also used IGF-1 receptor antibody to inhibit the action of IGF-1 and studied its effect on alpha-sma and type I collagen. IGF-1 treatment significantly increased luciferase activity. This was attenuated by PI-3 kinase and MAP-Kinase inhibitors. Western blot analysis showed PI-3 kinase mediates IGF-1 activation of NF-(k)B independent of I(K)B phosphorylation. We found an up-regulation of phospho NF-kB in the nuclear extract compared with total NFKB showing that IGF-1 regulates NF-(k)B transcriptional activity downstream of NF-(k)B nuclear translocation. IGF-1-induced increase in alpha-sma expression and type-I collagen was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with LY294002 and IGF-1 receptor antibody. IGF-1 cell signaling leading to collagen synthesis in fetal lung fibroblasts is mediated by PI3 Kinase acting through NF-(k)B in HFLF.

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Retinoids play an important role in lung development and repair. We showed that retinoic acid (RA) inhibits O(2)-induced fibroblast proliferation in rat lung explants. IGF-1, which enhances the proliferation of human fetal lung fibroblasts and stimulates collagen production during lung injury, has an important role in the lung injury/repair process. Interactions of IGF-1 with its receptor are modulated by IGF-binding proteins IGFBPs. We hypothesized that RA alters IGFBP-2 and -3 in hyperoxia-exposed neonatal lung and alters collagen production. Neonatal rat lungs were cultured in room air or 95% O(2) and 5% CO(2) for 3 d with or without RA. IGFBP-2 and -3 were measured both in culture medium and in lung tissue. Type I collagen and procollagen propeptide were analyzed in the lung tissue. Hyperoxia induced an increase in type I collagen that was significantly inhibited in the presence of RA. IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 in the lungs were decreased in hyperoxia but significantly increased in hyperoxia plus RA. In the culture medium, IGFBP-2 and -3 were not increased with hyperoxia but significantly increased in the presence of RA plus hyperoxia. There was no increase in IGFBP-3 RNA transcript after RA treatment in either room air or O(2) exposure. In conclusion, RA modulates the secreted IGFBP-2 and -3 during O(2) exposure and inhibits the increase in collagen that occurs during lung injury. We speculate that RA protects against O(2)-induced neonatal lung injury through modulation of the IGFBPs.

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We hypothesize that IGF-1 and IGF-1R proteins are upregulated in lung epithelia and fibroblasts in RDS compared to normal development, and are further upregulated in BPD. We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate IGF-1 and IGF-R expression in lungs from autopsies of human stillbirths and RDS and BPD patients. IGF-1 and IGF-R immunostaining were present in fetal, RDS, and BPD lungs. In RDS, IGF-1 was present in alveolar epithelium and prominent in columnar and cuboidal airway epithelia. In BPD lungs, immunostaining was intensely increased in both airway and alveolar epithelia and in mesenchyme. The immunostaining index in bronchial epithelial cells and peribronchial myofibroblasts was significantly higher in BPD compared to RDS. IGF-1R expression was minimal in fetal lung and found mainly in mesenchyme. IGF-1R was increased in mesenchyme in RDS. In BPD it was especially increased in peribronchial and perialveolar mesenchyme. Immunostaining index for IGF-1R in epithelial cells and peribronchial myofibroblasts was increased in BPD compared to RDS. IGF-1 and IGF-R expression is low during fetal development, but is acutely upregulated in RDS, and persists with further upregulation in BPD.

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Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) occurs in patients with asthma and cystic fibrosis when Aspergillus fumigatus spores are inhaled and grow in bronchial mucus as hyphae. Chronic colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus and host's genetically determined immunological response lead to ABPA. In most cases, lung biopsy is not necessary because the diagnosis is made on clinical, serologic, and roentgenographic findings. Some patients who have had lung biopsies or partial resections for atelectasis or infiltrates will have histologic diagnoses. A number of different histologic diagnoses can be found even in the same patient. In the early stages the bronchial wall is infiltrated with mononuclear cells and eosinophils. Mucoid impaction and eosinophilic pneumonia are seen subsequently. This may be followed by bronchiolitis obliterans, granulomatous bronchiolitis, and pulmonary fibrosis. Treatment with corticosteroids appears to prevent the progression of the disease.

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Hyperoxic exposure of the developing lung leads to characteristic peribronchial and mesenchymal fibroproliferative changes. We hypothesize that O2-induced changes in the neonatal lung are mediated by Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R). Lung explant cultures were prepared from 3-day-old neonatal rat pups and exposed to room air or 95% O2 for 72 h. Western blots and immunohistochemistry were used to determine if hyperoxia stimulated IGF-1 and IGF-1R, and to identify the cell types involved. Retinoic acid was used to learn if this would inhibit oxygen-induced cell proliferation. Hyperoxia induced a significant increase in thymidine incorporation (control, 54 +/- 9; hyperoxia, 254 +/- 24 dpm/nM DNA; mean +/- SEM; N = 3; P < 0.05). This was inhibited by 5 x 10(-5) M RA (149 +/- 18 dpm/nM DNA; P < 0.05) and by anti-IGF-1 antibody (115 +/- 25 dpm/nM DNA; P < 0.05; N = 3). BrdU labeling in the mesenchymal cells was significantly increased in mesenchymal cells after exposure to oxygen (91% higher than the room air control) but not in epithelial cells. This increase was inhibited in the presence of retinoic acid. Western blots showed IGF-1 protein was increased after 72 h of O2 exposure compared to room air exposure (57 +/- 7 compared to 32 +/- 5 densitometric units; P < 0.05; N = 3). The increase was inhibited when the cultures were exposed to 95% O2 in the presence of anti-IGF-1 antibody (28 +/- 4; P < 0.05; N = 3). IGF-1 protein decreased in the presence of retinoic acid after oxygen exposure but not in room air. Immunostaining of O2-exposed lung showed IGF-1 was most abundant in airway and alveolar epithelial cells. We conclude that hyperoxia increases cell proliferation by stimulating IGF-1 in the neonatal rat lung. Interaction of IGF-1 and IGF-1R is an important cell-cell communication mechanism in the developmental and repair processes of hyperoxic neonatal lung injury.

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