Mitochondria/cytosol fractionation in vitro. Mitochondria and cytosol were fractionated using the Mitochondria/Cytosol Fractionation Kit according to the manufacturer's protocol (Enzo Life Sciences).Cytotoxicity assays. Cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring the release of LDH into the media (LDH-Cytotoxicity Colorimetric Assay Kit II; BioVision) according to the manufacturer's protocol.Flow cytometry. To discriminate live and dead cells, cells were simultaneously stained with green fluorescent calcein-AM to indicate intracellular esterase activity and red fluorescent ethidium homodimer-1 to indicate loss of plasma membrane integrity using the LIVE/DEAD Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit (Molecular Probes). To assess the functional mitochondrial pool, cells were stained for 20 minutes at 37°C with 100 nM TMRE (Abcam), followed by CSE treatment. mtROS was measured in cells by MitoSOX (Invitrogen) staining (2.5 μM for 10 minutes at 37°C). Data were acquired with aIn vivo CS and chemical treatments. Age-matched mice (6-12 weeks old) were exposed to RA or CS in whole-body exposure chambers as described (5) Human lung bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells were purchased from ATCC and maintained in DMEM containing 10% FBS and gentamicin (100 μg/ml). The primary alveolar epithelial cells of mouse lung were obtained as previously described and used for experiments before passage (70, 71). CSE was prepared and added to culture media as previously described (5, 6). , and Drp1 in human lung homogenate samples from control subjects and COPD patients. β-Actin served as the standard. PINK1, RIP3, and Drp1 expression was assessed by densitometry of immunoblots. Band intensities were normalized to β-actin. n = 9 samples/group. Representative immunohistochemical study (original magnification, ×200) for PINK1 (B) or RIP3 (C) in human lung sections from never-smokers (n = 3 patients, 5 images/patient) or COPD patients (n = 6 patients, 5 images/patient). Scale bar: 100 μm. Outlined areas are shown enlarged at right (scale bar: 20 μm). (D) Immunofluorescence staining (original magnification, ×40) for PINK1 (green), RIP3 (red), and nuclear (blue) in human lung tissue from never-smokers (n = 2 patients, 3 images/patient) and COPD patients (n = 2 patients, 3 images/patient). Scale bar: 50 μm. Yellow-outlined areas are shown enlarged in bottom panels (scale bar: 10 μm). Data represent the mean ± SEM (A). **P < 0.01 by unpaired, 2-tailed Student's t test (A). The Journal of Clinical Investigation R e s e a R c h a R t i c l e4 0 0 1

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Myofibroblasts play an important role in the fibrogenic process of pulmonary fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is well known to induce the phenotypic modulation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts; however, the intracellular signal regulating induction of the myofibroblastic phenotype of human lung fibroblasts (HLF) has not been determined. In the present study, we examined the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily in inducing the phenotypic modulation of HLF to myofibroblasts characterized by alpha-smooth-muscle actin expression, in order to clarify this issue. The results showed that: (1) TGF-beta1 caused the phenotypic modulation of HLF to myofibroblasts in a dose- and a time-dependent manner; (2) TGF-beta1 induced increases in c-Jun-NH2- terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) phosphorylation and activity; (3) the inhibitors CEP-1347, SB 203580, and PD 98059 attenuated TGF-beta1-induced JNK, p38 MAPK, and Erk activity, respectively; and (4) CEP-1347, but not SB 203580 or PD 98059, attenuated the TGF-beta1-induced phenotypic modulation of HLF to myofibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that TGF-beta1 is capable of inducing the myofibroblastic phenotype of HLF, and that JNK regulates the phenotypic modulation of TGF-beta1-stimulated HLF to myofibroblasts.

Airway epithelial cells which are the initial site of influenza virus (IV) infection are suggested to participate in airway inflammatory response by expressing various cytokines including RANTES; however, the intracellular signal that regulates RANTES expression has not been determined. In the present study, we examined the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in RANTES production by IV-infected human bronchial epithelial cells. The results showed that IV infection induced increases in p38 MAP kinase, and Erk and JNK phosphorylation and activity. SB 203580, PD 98059, and CEP-1347 attenuated IV-infection induced p38 MAP kinase activity, Erk activity, and JNK activity, respectively. SB 203580 and CEP-1347 attenuated RANTES production by 45.3% and 45.2%, respectively, but a combination of these inhibitors additively attenuated by 69.1%. In contrast, PD 98059 did not attenuate. Anti-IL-1α mAb, anti-IL-1β mAb, anti-TNF-α mAb, anti-IL-8 mAb, anti-IFN-β mAb, anti-RANTES mAb, and a combination of these mAbs did not affect IV infection-induced increases in p38 MAP kinase, Erk, and JNK phosphorylation, indicating that each cytokine neutralized by corresponding Ab was not involved in IV infection-induced phosphorylation of MAP kinases. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) did not affect IV infection-induced increases in MAP kinase phosphorylation, whereas NAC attenuated RANTES production by 18.2%, indicating that reactive oxygen species may act as a second messenger leading to RANTES production via p38 MAP kinase- and JNK-independent pathway. These results indicate that p38 MAP kinase and JNK, at least in part, regulate RANTES production by bronchial epithelial cells.

Bronchial asthma is characterized by persistent cough, increased sputum, and repeated wheezing. The pathophysiology underlying these symptoms is the hyper-responsiveness of the airway along with chronic airway inflammation. Repeated injury, repair, and regeneration of the airway epithelium following exposure to environmental factors and inflammation results in histological changes and functional abnormalities in the airway mucosal epithelium; such changes are believed to have a significant association with the pathophysiology of asthma. Damage to the barrier functions of the airway epithelium enhances mucosal permeability of foreign substances in the airway epithelium of patients with asthma. Thus, epithelial barrier fragility is closely involved in releasing epithelial cytokines (e.g., TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33) because of the activation of airway epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and innate group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2). Functional abnormalities of the airway epithelial cells along with the activation of dendritic cells, Th2 cells, and ILC2 form a single immunopathological unit that is considered to cause allergic airway inflammation. Here we use the latest published literature to discuss the potential pathological mechanisms regarding the onset and progressive severity of asthma with regard to the disruption of the airway epithelial function.

The changes in airway osmolarity have been described to contribute to the production of exercise- induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and the development of the late-phase response (LPR). The mechanism has been investigated; however, the responsiveness of bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) to hyperosmolarity and the intracellular signals leading to cell activation have not been determined. In this study, we examined the effect of hyperosmolar medium on interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression and the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase ( JNK) in human BEC in this response in order to clarify the intracellular signals regulating IL-8 expression in hyperosmolarity-stimulated BEC. The results showed that hyperosmolarity induced IL-8 expression in a concentration dependent manner, p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation and activation, and JNK activation whether NaCl or mannitol was used as the solute. SB 203580 as the specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor inhibited hyperosmolarity-induced p38 MAP kinase activation and partially inhibited hyperosmolarity-induced IL-8 expression. These results indicate that p38 MAP kinase, at least in part, regulates hyperosmolarity-induced IL-8 expression in BEC. However, other signals such as JNK are possibly also involved. These results provide new evidence on the mechanism responsible for the development of the LPR induced by EIB, and a strategy for treatment with the specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.

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