Hyperoxia-mediated transcriptional activation of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and decreased susceptibility to oxygen-mediated lung injury in newborn mice

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) augments neonatal hyperoxic lung injury: Role of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, 1A2, and 1B1

Pregnant women exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are at increased risk for premature delivery. Premature infants often require supplemental oxygen, a known risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes have been implicated in hyperoxic lung injury. We hypothesize that prenatal PAH exposure exacerbates oxygen-mediated lung injury in neonatal mice, and that this effect is differentially altered in mice lacking the gene for (Cyp)1a1, 1a2, or 1b1. Timed pregnant wild type (WT) (C57BL/6J) mice were orally administered a PAH mixture of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) or the vehicle corn oil (CO) once daily on gestational days 16-19, and the dose response on postnatal lung injury was examined. In addition, timed pregnant mice with one of four genotypes, WT, Cyp1a1-null, Cyp1a2-null, and Cyp1b1-null, were treated orally with CO or PAH on gestational days 16-19 and exposed to hyperoxia or room air for 14 days. Lung injury was assessed on PND15 by radial alveolar count (RAC) and mean linear intercept (MLI) Gene expression of DNA repair genes in lung and liver were measured. Results showed that neonatal hyperoxic lung injury is augmented by prenatal PAH exposure in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was differentially altered in the Cyp-null mice, with Cyp1a2-null showing the greatest extent of lung injury. We concluded that newborn mice exposed to PAH in utero had more significant lung injury in response to hyperoxia than non-PAH exposed pups, and that CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 are protective against lung injury while CYP1B1 augments lung injury.

Oxygen Toxicity to the Immature Lung-Part I: Pathomechanistic Understanding and Preclinical Perspectives

In utero, the fetus and its lungs develop in a hypoxic environment, where HIF-1α and VEGFA signaling constitute major determinants of further development. Disruption of this homeostasis after preterm delivery and extrauterine exposure to high fractions of oxygen are among the key events leading to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production constitutes the initial driver of pulmonary inflammation and cell death, altered gene expression, and vasoconstriction, leading to the distortion of further lung development. From preclinical studies mainly performed on rodents over the past two decades, the deleterious effects of oxygen toxicity and the injurious insults and downstream cascades arising from ROS production are well recognized. This article provides a concise overview of disease drivers and different therapeutic approaches that have been successfully tested within experimental models. Despite current studies, clinical researchers are still faced with an unmet clinical need, and many of these strategies have not proven to be equally effective in clinical trials. In light of this challenge, adapting experimental models to the complexity of the clinical situation and pursuing new directions constitute appropriate actions to overcome this dilemma. Our review intends to stimulate research activities towards the understanding of an important issue of immature lung injury.

Genetic and Epidemiological Similarities, and Differences Between Postoperative Intraperitoneal Adhesion Development and Other Benign Fibro-proliferative Disorders

Intraperitoneal adhesions complicate over half of abdominal-pelvic surgeries with immediate, short, and long-term sequelae of major healthcare concern. The pathogenesis of adhesion development is similar to the pathogenesis of wound healing in all tissues, which if unchecked result in production of fibrotic conditions. Given the similarities, we explore the published literature to highlight the similarities in the pathogenesis of intra-abdominal adhesion development (IPAD) and other fibrotic diseases such as keloids, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and pulmonary, intraperitoneal, and retroperitoneal fibrosis. Following a literature search using PubMed database for all relevant English language articles up to November 2020, we reviewed relevant articles addressing the genetic and epidemiological similarities and differences in the pathogenesis and pathobiology of fibrotic diseases. We found genetic and epidemiological similarities and differences between the pathobiology of postoperative IPAD and other diseases that involve altered fibroblast-derived cells. We also found several genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms that are up- or downregulated and whose products directly or indirectly increase the propensity for postoperative adhesion development and other fibrotic diseases. An understanding of the similarities in pathophysiology of adhesion development and other fibrotic diseases contributes to a greater understanding of IPAD and these disease processes. At a very fundamental level, blocking changes in the expression or function of genes necessary for the transformation of normal to altered fibroblasts may curtail adhesion formation and other fibrotic disease since this is a prerequisite for their development. Similarly, applying measures to induce apoptosis of altered fibroblast may do the same; however, apoptosis should be at a desired level to simultaneously ameliorate development of fibrotic diseases while allowing for normal healing. Scientists may use such information to develop pharmacologic interventions for those most at risk for developing these fibrotic conditions.

Is There a Genetic Predisposition to Postoperative Adhesion Development?

Adhesions are permanent fibrovascular bands between peritoneal surfaces, which develop following virtually all body cavity surgeries. The susceptibility to develop, and the severity, of adhesions following intra-abdominal surgery varies within and between individuals, suggesting that heritable factors influence adhesion development. In this manuscript, we discuss the pathophysiology of adhesion development from the perspective of genetic susceptibility. We restrict our discussion to genes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are specifically involved in, or that cause modification of, the adhesion development process. We performed a literature search using the PubMed database for all relevant English language articles up to March 2020 (n = 186). We identified and carefully reviewed all relevant articles addressing genetic mutations or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that impact the risk for adhesion development. We also reviewed references from these articles for additional information. We found several reported SNPs, genetic mutations, and upregulation of messenger RNAs that directly or indirectly increase the propensity for postoperative adhesion development, namely in genes for transforming growth factor beta, vascular endothelial growth factor, interferon-gamma, matrix metalloproteinase, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and the interleukins. An understanding of genetic variants could provide insight into the pathophysiology of adhesion development. The information presented in this review contributes to a greater understanding of adhesion development at the genetic level and may allow modification of these genetic risks, which may subsequently guide management in preventing and treating this challenging complication of abdominal surgery. In particular, the information could help identify patients at greater risk for adhesion development, which would make them candidates for anti-adhesion prophylaxis. Currently, agents to reduce postoperative adhesion development exist, and in the future, development of agents, which specifically target individual genetic profile, would be more specific in preventing intraperitoneal adhesion development.

Recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of lung alveolarization and bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. A key histopathological feature of BPD is stunted late lung development, where the process of alveolarization-the generation of alveolar gas exchange units-is impeded, through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. As such, there is interest in the clarification both of the pathomechanisms at play in affected lungs, and the mechanisms of de novo alveoli generation in healthy, developing lungs. A better understanding of normal and pathological alveolarization might reveal opportunities for improved medical management of affected infants. Furthermore, disturbances to the alveolar architecture are a key histopathological feature of several adult chronic lung diseases, including emphysema and fibrosis, and it is envisaged that knowledge about the mechanisms of alveologenesis might facilitate regeneration of healthy lung parenchyma in affected patients. To this end, recent efforts have interrogated clinical data, developed new-and refined existing-in vivo and in vitro models of BPD, have applied new microscopic and radiographic approaches, and have developed advanced cell-culture approaches, including organoid generation. Advances have also been made in the development of other methodologies, including single-cell analysis, metabolomics, lipidomics, and proteomics, as well as the generation and use of complex mouse genetics tools. The objective of this review is to present advances made in our understanding of the mechanisms of lung alveolarization and BPD over the period 1 January 2017-30 June 2019, a period that spans the 50th anniversary of the original clinical description of BPD in preterm infants.