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Conditional depletion of airway progenitor cells induces peribronchiolar fibrosis

Conditional depletion of airway progenitor cells induces peribronchiolar fibrosis
Conditional depletion of airway progenitor cells induces peribronchiolar fibrosis
RATIONALE: The respiratory epithelium has a remarkable capacity to respond to acute injury. In contrast, repeated epithelial injury is often associated with abnormal repair, inflammation and fibrosis. There is increasing evidence that non-ciliated epithelial cells play important roles in the repair of the bronchiolar epithelium following acute injury. Cellular processes underlying the repair and remodeling of the lung following chronic epithelial injury are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To identify cell processes mediating epithelial regeneration and remodeling after acute and chronic Clara cell depletion. METHODS: A transgenic mouse model was generated to conditionally express diphtheria toxin A to ablate Clara cells in the adult lung. Epithelial regeneration and peribronchiolar fibrosis were assessed after acute and chronic Clara cell depletion. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Acute Clara cell ablation caused squamous metaplasia of ciliated cells and induced proliferation of residual progenitor cells. Ciliated cells in the bronchioles and pro-SPC expressing cells in the bronchiolar alveolar duct junctions did not proliferate. Epithelial cell proliferation occurred at multiple sites along the airways and was not selectively associated with regions around neuroepithelial bodies. Chronic Clara cell depletion resulted in ineffective repair and caused peribronchiolar fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Co-localization of proliferation and cell type specific markers demonstrate that Clara cells are critical airway progenitor cells. Continuous depletion of Clara cells resulted in persistent squamous metaplasia, lack of normal re-epithelialization and peribronchiolar fibrosis. Induction of proliferation in subepithelial fibroblasts, supports the concept that chronic epithelial depletion caused peribronchiolar fibrosis.
chronic obstructive, squamous metaplasia, diphtheria toxin, progenitor cells
1073-449X
511-521
Perl, Anne-Karina T.
caabea88-f98e-441d-9a0a-f1565facc6c9
Riethmacher, Dieter
1a0a0c2e-e94d-4d0a-a890-90107a2545bc
Whitsett, Jeffrey A.
84fb8fc3-212e-4741-8934-d4083cd6549b
Perl, Anne-Karina T.
caabea88-f98e-441d-9a0a-f1565facc6c9
Riethmacher, Dieter
1a0a0c2e-e94d-4d0a-a890-90107a2545bc
Whitsett, Jeffrey A.
84fb8fc3-212e-4741-8934-d4083cd6549b

Perl, Anne-Karina T., Riethmacher, Dieter and Whitsett, Jeffrey A. (2011) Conditional depletion of airway progenitor cells induces peribronchiolar fibrosis. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 183 (4), 511-521. (doi:10.1164/rccm.201005-0744OC). (PMID:20870756)

Record type: Article

Abstract

RATIONALE: The respiratory epithelium has a remarkable capacity to respond to acute injury. In contrast, repeated epithelial injury is often associated with abnormal repair, inflammation and fibrosis. There is increasing evidence that non-ciliated epithelial cells play important roles in the repair of the bronchiolar epithelium following acute injury. Cellular processes underlying the repair and remodeling of the lung following chronic epithelial injury are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To identify cell processes mediating epithelial regeneration and remodeling after acute and chronic Clara cell depletion. METHODS: A transgenic mouse model was generated to conditionally express diphtheria toxin A to ablate Clara cells in the adult lung. Epithelial regeneration and peribronchiolar fibrosis were assessed after acute and chronic Clara cell depletion. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Acute Clara cell ablation caused squamous metaplasia of ciliated cells and induced proliferation of residual progenitor cells. Ciliated cells in the bronchioles and pro-SPC expressing cells in the bronchiolar alveolar duct junctions did not proliferate. Epithelial cell proliferation occurred at multiple sites along the airways and was not selectively associated with regions around neuroepithelial bodies. Chronic Clara cell depletion resulted in ineffective repair and caused peribronchiolar fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Co-localization of proliferation and cell type specific markers demonstrate that Clara cells are critical airway progenitor cells. Continuous depletion of Clara cells resulted in persistent squamous metaplasia, lack of normal re-epithelialization and peribronchiolar fibrosis. Induction of proliferation in subepithelial fibroblasts, supports the concept that chronic epithelial depletion caused peribronchiolar fibrosis.

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Perl et al, 2011, Conditional p511-1.pdf - Version of Record
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e-pub ahead of print date: 24 September 2010
Published date: 15 February 2011
Keywords: chronic obstructive, squamous metaplasia, diphtheria toxin, progenitor cells
Organisations: Human Genetics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 174871
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/174871
ISSN: 1073-449X
PURE UUID: fdc5bcd5-a36d-470f-adbc-49238c89f64e
ORCID for Dieter Riethmacher: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4206-5529

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Date deposited: 17 Feb 2011 15:12
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:53

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Contributors

Author: Anne-Karina T. Perl
Author: Dieter Riethmacher ORCID iD
Author: Jeffrey A. Whitsett

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