Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate cell fate, although signaling molecules that regulate ROS hormesis remain unclear. Here we show that transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) in lung epithelial cells induced the alternatively spliced CD44v8-10 variant via an inverse ZEB2/epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRPs) linkage. TM4SF5 formed complexes with the cystine/glutamate antiporter system via TM4SF5- and CD44v8-10-dependent CD98hc plasma-membrane enrichment. Dynamic TM4SF5 binding to CD98hc required CD44v8-10 under ROS-generating inflammatory conditions. TM4SF5 and CD44v8-10 upregulated cystine/glutamate antiporter activity and intracellular glutathione levels, leading to ROS modulation for cell survival. Tm4sf5-null mice exhibited attenuated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis with lower CD44v8-10 and ESRPs levels than wild-type mice. Primary mouse alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) revealed type II AECs (AECII), but not type I, to adapt the TM4SF5-mediated characteristics, suggesting TM4SF5-mediated AECII survival following AECI injury during idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Thus, the TM4SF5-mediated CD44v8-10 splice variant could be targeted against IPF.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.