[HTML][HTML] Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in asthma airway remodeling is regulated by the IL-33/CD146 axis

Z Sun, N Ji, Q Ma, R Zhu, Z Chen, Z Wang… - Frontiers in …, 2020 - frontiersin.org
Z Sun, N Ji, Q Ma, R Zhu, Z Chen, Z Wang, Y Qian, C Wu, F Hu, M Huang, M Zhang
Frontiers in immunology, 2020frontiersin.org
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential in asthma airway remodeling. IL-33
from epithelial cells is involved in pulmonary fibrosis. CD146 has been extensively explored
in cancer-associated EMT. Whether IL-33 regulates CD146 in the EMT process associated
with asthma airway remodeling is still largely unknown. We hypothesized that EMT in airway
remodeling was regulated by the IL-33/CD146 axis. House dust mite (HDM) extract
increased the expression of IL-33 and CD146 in epithelial cells. Increased expression of …
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential in asthma airway remodeling. IL-33 from epithelial cells is involved in pulmonary fibrosis. CD146 has been extensively explored in cancer-associated EMT. Whether IL-33 regulates CD146 in the EMT process associated with asthma airway remodeling is still largely unknown. We hypothesized that EMT in airway remodeling was regulated by the IL-33/CD146 axis. House dust mite (HDM) extract increased the expression of IL-33 and CD146 in epithelial cells. Increased expression of CD146 in HDM-treated epithelial cells could be blocked with an ST2-neutralizing antibody. Moreover, HDM-induced EMT was dependent on the CD146 and TGF-β/SMAD-3 signaling pathways. IL-33 deficiency decreased CD146 expression and alleviated asthma severity. Similarly, CD146 deficiency mitigated EMT and airway remodeling in a murine model of chronic allergic airway inflammation. Furthermore, CD146 expression was significantly elevated in asthma patients. We concluded that IL-33 from HDM extract-treated alveolar epithelial cells stimulated CD146 expression, promoting EMT in airway remodeling in chronic allergic inflammation.
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