scholarly journals Gender, Estrogen, and Obliterative Lesions in the Lung

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamza Assaggaf ◽  
Quentin Felty
Keyword(s):  
Hormone Replacement ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Vascular Lesions ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Pulmonary Tissue ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Sex Steroid Hormone ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Context Specific

Gender has been shown to impact the prevalence of several lung diseases such as cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Controversy over the protective effects of estrogen on the cardiopulmonary system should be of no surprise as clinical trials of hormone replacement therapy have failed to show benefits observed in experimental models. Potential confounders to explain these inconsistent estrogenic effects include the dose, cellular context, and systemic versus local tissue levels of estrogen. Idiopathic PAH is disproportionately found to be up to 4 times more common in females than in males; however, estrogen levels cannot explain why males develop PAH sooner and have poorer survival. Since the sex steroid hormone 17β-estradiol is a mitogen, obliterative processes in the lung such as cell proliferation and migration may impact the growth of pulmonary tissue or vascular cells. We have reviewed evidence for biological differences of sex-specific lung obliterative lesions and highlighted cell context-specific effects of estrogen in the formation of vessel lumen-obliterating lesions. Based on this information, we provide a biological-based mechanism to explain the sex difference in PAH severity as well as propose a mechanism for the formation of obliterative vascular lesions by estrogens.

scholarly journals Role of Nrf2 and Its Activators in Respiratory Diseases

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinmei Liu ◽  
Yun Gao ◽  
Xinxin Ci
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Antioxidant Response ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
26S Proteasome ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Related Factor ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a major regulator of antioxidant response element- (ARE-) driven cytoprotective protein expression. The activation of Nrf2 signaling plays an essential role in preventing cells and tissues from injury induced by oxidative stress. Under the unstressed conditions, natural inhibitor of Nrf2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), traps Nrf2 in the cytoplasm and promotes the degradation of Nrf2 by the 26S proteasome. Nevertheless, stresses including highly oxidative microenvironments, impair the ability of Keap1 to target Nrf2 for ubiquitination and degradation, and induce newly synthesized Nrf2 to translocate to the nucleus to bind with ARE. Due to constant exposure to external environments, including diverse pollutants and other oxidants, the redox balance maintained by Nrf2 is fairly important to the airways. To date, researchers have discovered that Nrf2 deletion results in high susceptibility and severity of insults in various models of respiratory diseases, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), respiratory infections, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung cancer. Conversely, Nrf2 activation confers protective effects on these lung disorders. In the present review, we summarize Nrf2 involvement in the pathogenesis of the above respiratory diseases that have been identified by experimental models and human studies and describe the protective effects of Nrf2 inducers on these diseases.

scholarly journals Smoking, asthma and airway microbial disruption

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena M. Turek ◽  
Michael J. Cox ◽  
Michael Hunter ◽  
Jennie Hui ◽  
Phillip James ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Disease ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
The Government ◽  
Private Donations

AbstractBackgroundNormal airway microbial communities play a central role in respiratory health but are poorly characterized. Cigarette smoking is the dominant global environmental influence on lung function, and asthma has become the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease worldwide. Both conditions have major microbial components that are also poorly defined.MethodsWe investigated airway bacterial communities in a general population sample of 529 Australian adults. Posterior oropharyngeal swabs were analysed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA and methionine aminopeptidase genes. The microbiota were characterised according to their prevalence, abundance, and network memberships.FindingsMicrobial communities were similar across the population and were strongly organized into co-abundance networks. Smoking associated with diversity loss, negative effects on abundant taxa, profound alterations to network structure and expansion of Streptococcus spp. By contrast, the asthmatic microbiota were selectively affected by an increase in Neisseria spp. and by reduced numbers of low abundance but prevalent organisms.InterpretationOur study shows healthy airway microbiota are contained within a highly structured ecosystem, indicating balanced relationships between the microbiome and human host factors. The marked abnormalities in smokers may be pathogenic for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. The narrow spectrum of abnormalities in asthmatics encourages investigation of damaging and protective effects of specific bacteria.FundingThe study was funded by the Asmarley Trust and a Wellcome Senior Investigator Award to WOCC and MFM (P46009). The Busselton Healthy Ageing Study is supported by the Government of Western Australia (Office of Science, Department of Health) the City of Busselton, and private donations.

scholarly journals WNT5a-ROR Signaling Is Essential for Alveologenesis

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changgong Li ◽  
Susan M Smith ◽  
Neil Peinado ◽  
Feng Gao ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Development ◽  
Lung Fibroblasts ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Type I ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Alveolar Epithelial ◽  
Isolated Lung ◽  
And Migration

WNT5a is a mainly “non-canonical” WNT ligand whose dysregulation is observed in lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Germline deletion of Wnt5a disrupts embryonic lung development. However, the temporal-specific function of WNT5a remains unknown. In this study, we generated a conditional loss-of-function mouse model (Wnt5aCAG) and examined the specific role of Wnt5a during the saccular and alveolar phases of lung development. The lack of Wnt5a in the saccular phase blocked distal airway expansion and attenuated differentiation of endothelial and alveolar epithelial type I (AT1) cells and myofibroblasts. Postnatal Wnt5a inactivation disrupted alveologenesis, producing a phenotype resembling human bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Mutant lungs showed hypoalveolization, but endothelial and epithelial differentiation was unaffected. The major impact of Wnt5a inactivation on alveologenesis was on myofibroblast differentiation and migration, with reduced expression of key regulatory genes. These findings were validated in vitro using isolated lung fibroblasts. Conditional inactivation of the WNT5a receptors Ror1 and Ror2 in alveolar myofibroblasts recapitulated the Wnt5aCAG phenotype, demonstrating that myofibroblast defects are the major cause of arrested alveologenesis in Wnt5aCAG lungs. Finally, we show that WNT5a is reduced in human BPD lung samples, indicating the clinical relevance and potential role for WNT5a in pathogenesis of BPD.

scholarly journals The role of hyaluronan in the pathobiology and treatment of respiratory disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (9) ◽  
pp. L785-L795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavros Garantziotis ◽  
Martin Brezina ◽  
Paolo Castelnuovo ◽  
Lorenzo Drago
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Cell Matrix ◽  
Airway Diseases ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Tissue Healing ◽  
And Migration

Hyaluronan, a ubiquitous naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan, is a major component of the extracellular matrix, where it participates in biological processes that include water homeostasis, cell-matrix signaling, tissue healing, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation and migration. There are emerging data that hyaluronan and its degradation products have an important role in the pathobiology of the respiratory tract. We review the role of hyaluronan in respiratory diseases and present evidence from published literature and from clinical practice supporting hyaluronan as a novel treatment for respiratory diseases. Preliminary data show that aerosolized exogenous hyaluronan has beneficial activity against airway inflammation, protects against bronchial hyperreactivity and remodeling, and disrupts the biofilm associated with chronic infection. This suggests a role in airway diseases with a predominant inflammatory component such as rhinosinusitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and primary ciliary dyskinesia. The potential for hyaluronan to complement conventional therapy will become clearer when data are available from controlled trials in larger patient populations.

scholarly journals An Update on the Role of Nrf2 in Respiratory Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (16) ◽  
pp. 8406
Author(s):  
Jooyeon Lee ◽  
Jimin Jang ◽  
Sung-Min Park ◽  
Se-Ran Yang
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Antioxidant Response ◽  
Atmospheric Environment ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Related Factor ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Cell Protection ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) is a transcriptional activator of the cell protection gene that binds to the antioxidant response element (ARE). Therefore, Nrf2 protects cells and tissues from oxidative stress. Normally, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) inhibits the activation of Nrf2 by binding to Nrf2 and contributes to Nrf2 break down by ubiquitin proteasomes. In moderate oxidative stress, Keap1 is inhibited, allowing Nrf2 to be translocated to the nucleus, which acts as an antioxidant. However, under unusually severe oxidative stress, the Keap1-Nrf2 mechanism becomes disrupted and results in cell and tissue damage. Oxide-containing atmospheric environment generally contributes to the development of respiratory diseases, possibly leading to the failure of the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. Until now, several studies have identified changes in Keap1-Nrf2 signaling in models of respiratory diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and asthma. These studies have confirmed that several Nrf2 activators can alleviate symptoms of respiratory diseases. Thus, this review describes how the expression of Keap1-Nrf2 functions in different respiratory diseases and explains the protective effects of reversing this expression.

scholarly journals Progress in the mechanism and targeted drug therapy for COPD

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cuixue Wang ◽  
Jiedong Zhou ◽  
Jinquan Wang ◽  
Shujing Li ◽  
Atsushi Fukunaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Redox Status ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Drugs ◽  
Mapk Signalling ◽  
And Migration

Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis characterised by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. The prevalence of COPD has increased over the last decade and the drugs most commonly used to treat it, such as glucocorticoids and bronchodilators, have significant therapeutic effects; however, they also cause side effects, including infection and immunosuppression. Here we reviewed the pathogenesis and progression of COPD and elaborated on the effects and mechanisms of newly developed molecular targeted COPD therapeutic drugs. Among these new drugs, we focussed on thioredoxin (Trx). Trx effectively prevents the progression of COPD by regulating redox status and protease/anti-protease balance, blocking the NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways, suppressing the activation and migration of inflammatory cells and the production of cytokines, inhibiting the synthesis and the activation of adhesion factors and growth factors, and controlling the cAMP-PKA and PI3K/Akt signalling pathways. The mechanism by which Trx affects COPD is different from glucocorticoid-based mechanisms which regulate the inflammatory reaction in association with suppressing immune responses. In addition, Trx also improves the insensitivity of COPD to steroids by inhibiting the production and internalisation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). Taken together, these findings suggest that Trx may be the ideal drug for treating COPD.

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