The pulmonary extracellular matrix (ECM) determines the tissue architecture of the lung, and provides mechanical stability and elastic recoil, which are essential for physiological lung function. Biochemical and biomechanical signals initiated by the ECM direct cellular function and differentiation, and thus play a decisive role in lung development, tissue remodelling processes and maintenance of adult homeostasis. Recent proteomic studies have demonstrated that at least 150 different ECM proteins, glycosaminoglycans and modifying enzymes are expressed in the lung, and these assemble into intricate composite biomaterials. These highly insoluble assemblies of interacting ECM proteins and their glycan modifications can act as a solid phase-binding interface for hundreds of secreted proteins, which creates an information-rich signalling template for cell function and differentiation. Dynamic changes within the ECM that occur upon injury or with ageing are associated with several chronic lung diseases. In this review, we summarise the available data about the structure and function of the pulmonary ECM, and highlight changes that occur in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung cancer. We discuss potential mechanisms of ECM remodelling and modification, which we believe are relevant for future diagnosis and treatment of chronic lung disease.
To-date, most invasion or migration assays use a modified Boyden chamber-like design to assess migration as single-cell or scratch assays on coated or uncoated planar plastic surfaces. Here, we describe a 96-well microplate-based, high-content, three-dimensional cell culture assay capable of assessing invasion dynamics and molecular signatures thereof. On applying our invasion assay, we were able to demonstrate significant effects on the invasion capacity of fibroblast cell lines, as well as primary lung fibroblasts. Administration of epidermal growth factor resulted in a substantial increase of cellular invasion, thus making this technique suitable for high-throughput pharmacological screening of novel compounds regulating invasive and migratory pathways of primary cells. Our assay also correlates cellular invasiveness to molecular events. Thus, we argue of having developed a powerful and versatile toolbox for an extensive profiling of invasive cells in a 96-well format. This will have a major impact on research in disease areas like fibrosis, metastatic cancers, or chronic inflammatory states.
Diabetes mellitus risk is increased by prolonged usage of antidepressants (ADs). Although various mechanisms are suggested for their diabetogenic potential, whether a direct effect of ADs on pancreatic β-cells is involved is unclear. We examined this idea for three ADs:paroxetine, clomipramine and, with particular emphasis, fluoxetine, on insulin secretion, mitochondrial function, cellular bioenergetics, K ATP channel activity and caspase activity in murine and human cell-line models of pancreatic β-cells. Metabolic assays showed that these ADs decreased the redox, oxidative respiration and energetic potential of β-cells in a time and concentration dependent manner at concentrations (100 nM) well within their plasma therapeutic window. These effects were related to inhibition of mitochondrial complex I and III activity.Consistent with impaired mitochondrial function, lactate output was increased and insulin secretion decreased. Neither fluoxetine, antimycin nor rotenone could reactivate K ATP channel activity blocked by glucose unlike the mitochondrial uncoupler, FCCP. Chronic, but not acute, AD increased oxidative stress and activated caspases, 3, 8 and 9. To conclude, paroxetine, clomipramine and fluoxetine were all found to be cytotoxic at therapeutic concentrations on pancreatic beta-cells; an action suggested to arise by inhibition of mitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative stress and induction of apoptosis. These actions may help explain the diabetogenic potential of these ADs in humans.
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