2. Academic Validation
  3. Cigarette smoke extract induces apoptosis of rat alveolar Type II cells via the PLTP/TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway

Cigarette smoke extract induces apoptosis of rat alveolar Type II cells via the PLTP/TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway

  • Int Immunopharmacol. 2015 Sep;28(1):707-14. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.029.
Hong Chen 1,  Ke Liao 2,  Lv Cui-Zhao 3,  Fu Qiang-Wen 4,  Xue Feng-Zeng 5,  Feng Ping-Wu 6,  Shu Liang-Guo 7,  Ya Juan-Chen 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Respiratory Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address: hopehong2003@126.com.
  • 2 Respiratory Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Respiratory Department, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: keliaocqmu@sina.com.
  • 3 Drug Engineering Research Center of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address: 467202699@qq.com.
  • 4 Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Electronic address: wenfuqiang@126.com.
  • 5 Respiratory Department, The Third People's Hospital of Cheng Du, Cheng Du, China. Electronic address: zengxf825@sohu.com.
  • 6 Respiratory Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address: 790612391@qq.com.
  • 7 Respiratory Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address: GUOSL999@sina.com.
  • 8 Respiratory Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
PMID: 26258626 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.029
Abstract

Apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury. Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) may play a role in Apoptosis. In the present study, the effect of the novel function of PLTP in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced Apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells and the possible mechanism were examined. Male Wistar rats were exposed to air and cigarette smoke (n=10/exposure) for 6h/day on 3 consecutive days, then the lungs were sectioned and examined. To investigate effects on alveolar epithelial cells, rat alveolar epithelial cells (RLE-6TN) were treated with different concentrations of CSE for various times. siRNA for PLTP was transfected into cells and an inhibitor of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) type I receptor was administered prior to CSE exposure. Apoptosis was measured, and mRNA expression of PLTP and TGF-β1 and protein levels of PLTP, TGF-β1, p-Smad2 and cleaved Caspase-3 were analyzed. The results showed that Apoptosis, as well as expression of PLTP, TGF-β1, p-Smad2 and cleaved Caspase-3 were all significantly increased after CSE stimulation (P<0.05). Furthermore, the expression of TGF-β1, p-Smad2 and cleaved Caspase-3 induced by CSE could be partly abrogated by knockdown of PLTP. The expression of PLTP showed no significant change as a result of TGF-β1 receptor inhibition, while cleaved Caspase-3 showed a remarkable reduction. PLTP may act as an upstream signal molecule of the TGF-β1/SMAD2 pathway and is likely to be involved in CSE-induced Apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells.

Keywords

Alveolar Type II cells; Apoptosis; Cigarette smoke extract; Phospholipid transfer protein; Smad2; Transforming growth factor-β1.

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