Microvascular injury after lung transplantation

IL-10 Mediated Immunomodulation Limits Subepithelial Fibrosis and Repairs Airway Epithelium in Rejecting Airway Allografts

Interleukin-10 plays a vital role in maintaining peripheral immunotolerance and favors a regulatory immune milieu through the suppression of T effector cells. Inflammation-induced microvascular loss has been associated with airway epithelial injury, which is a key pathological source of graft malfunctioning and subepithelial fibrosis in rejecting allografts. The regulatory immune phase maneuvers alloimmune inflammation through various regulatory modulators, and thereby promotes graft microvascular repair and suppresses the progression of fibrosis after transplantation. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic impact of IL-10 on immunotolerance, in particular, the reparative microenvironment, which negates airway epithelial injury, and fibrosis in a mouse model of airway graft rejection. Here, we depleted and reconstituted IL-10, and serially monitored the phase of immunotolerance, graft microvasculature, inflammatory cytokines, airway epithelium, and subepithelial collagen in rejecting airway transplants. We demonstrated that the IL-10 depletion suppresses FOXP3+ Tregs, tumor necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 protein (TSG-6), graft microvasculature, and establishes a pro-inflammatory phase, which augments airway epithelial injury and subepithelial collagen deposition while the IL-10 reconstitution facilitates FOXP3+ Tregs, TSG-6 deposition, graft microvasculature, and thereby favors airway epithelial repair and subepithelial collagen suppression. These findings establish a potential reparative modulation of IL-10-associated immunotolerance on microvascular, epithelial, and fibrotic remodeling, which could provide a vital therapeutic option to rescue rejecting transplants in clinical settings.

When tissue is the issue: A histological review of chronic lung allograft dysfunction

Although chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) remains the major life-limiting factor following lung transplantation, much of its pathophysiology remains unknown. The discovery that CLAD can manifest both clinically and morphologically in vastly different ways led to the definition of distinct subtypes of CLAD. In this review, recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the different phenotypes of CLAD will be discussed with a particular focus on tissue-based and molecular studies. An overview of the current knowledge on the mechanisms of the airway-centered bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, as well as the airway and alveolar injuries in the restrictive allograft syndrome and also the vascular compartment in chronic antibody-mediated rejection is provided. Specific attention is also given to morphological and molecular markers for early CLAD diagnosis or histological changes associated with subsequent CLAD development. Evidence for a possible overlap between different forms of CLAD is presented and discussed. In the end, "tissue remains the (main) issue," as we are still limited in our knowledge about the actual triggers and specific mechanisms of all late forms of posttransplant graft failure, a shortcoming that needs to be addressed in order to further improve the outcome of lung transplant recipients.

Resident mesenchymal vascular progenitors modulate adaptive angiogenesis and pulmonary remodeling via regulation of canonical Wnt signaling

Adaptive angiogenesis is necessary for tissue repair, however, it may also be associated with the exacerbation of injury and development of chronic disease. In these studies, we demonstrate that lung mesenchymal vascular progenitor cells (MVPC) modulate adaptive angiogenesis via lineage trace, depletion of MVPC, and modulation of β-catenin expression. Single cell sequencing confirmed MVPC as multipotential vascular progenitors, thus, genetic depletion resulted in alveolar simplification with reduced adaptive angiogenesis. Following vascular endothelial injury, Wnt activation in MVPC was sufficient to elicit an emphysema-like phenotype characterized by increased MLI, fibrosis, and MVPC driven adaptive angiogenesis. Lastly, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling skewed the profile of human and murine MVPC toward an adaptive phenotype. These data suggest that lung MVPC drive angiogenesis in response to injury and regulate the microvascular niche as well as subsequent distal lung tissue architecture via Wnt signaling.

Hypertonic saline reduces cell infiltration into the lungs after brain death in rats

BACKGROUND

Lung transplantation is a treatment method for end stage lung disease, but the availability of donor lungs remains a major constraint. Brain death (BD) induces hemodynamic instability with microcirculatory hypoperfusion and increased inflammation, leading to pulmonary dysfunction. Hypertonic saline solution (HSS) is a volume expander possessing immunomodulatory effects. This study evaluated the influence of HSS on pulmonary dysfunction and inflammation in a rat model of BD.

METHODS

BD was induced by inflation of an intracranial balloon catheter. Rats were divided into [1]: Sham, without BD [2]; NS, NaCl treatment (0.9%, 4 mL/kg, i.v.) immediately after BD [3]; HSS₁, HSS treatment (NaCl 7.5%, 4 mL/kg, i.v.) immediately after BD; and [4] HSS₆₀, HSS treatment 60 min post BD. All groups were analyzed after 360 min.

RESULTS

Animals subjected to BD exhibited increased exhaled O₂ and decreased CO₂.The number of leukocytes in the lungs was significantly increased in the NS group (p = 0.002) and the HSS treatment was able to reduce it (HSS₁, p = 0.018 and HSS₆₀ = 0.030). In parallel, HSS-treated rats showed reduced levels of ICAM-1 expression, which was increased in the NS compared to Sham group. Lung edema was found increased in the NS group animals compared to Sham and no effect of the HSS treatment was observed. There were no differences among the groups in terms of TNF-α, VEGF, and CINC-1 lung concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

HSS is capable of reducing inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung after BD induction, which is associated with the reduction of ICAM-1 expression in organ vessels.

Preservation of Microvascular Integrity in Murine Orthotopic Tracheal Allografts by Clopidogrel

BACKGROUND

Survival after lung transplantation is mainly limited by the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). The aim of this study was to investigate if platelet inhibition by clopidogrel has a functionally relevant influence on the microvascular integrity of orthotopic tracheal allografts as an anatomic basis for the development of CLAD.

METHODS

We orthotopically transplanted C57Bl/6 (H-2) tracheas into CBA.J (H-2) recipients who afterwards received clopidogrel (1 mg/kg). Morphometric analysis was performed by measuring epithelial height in proportion to thickness of the lamina propria (epithelium-lamina propria ratio). Tissue oxygenation was determined using a fluorescence quenching technique, and graft perfusion monitoring was performed by laser Doppler flowmetry and lectin-binding assay. Immunohistochemistry was used for detection of CD31 and inducible nitric oxide synthase while iron deposition was shown with Prussian blue reaction. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was used for gene expression analysis.

RESULTS

Isografts maintained good oxygenation and perfusion throughout the experiment, while both were drastically reduced in allografts. Treatment with clopidogrel attenuated graft hypoxia and reduced loss of perfusion. Additionally, clopidogrel led to increased epithelium-lamina propria ratio while iron deposition was impaired. Gene expression analysis revealed elevated levels of angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor in the clopidogrel group. Improved endothelial function was shown by immunohistochemistry (CD31, inducible nitric oxide synthase).

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous administration of clopidogrel significantly improved tissue oxygenation, limited microvascular leakiness, and prevented airway ischemia. These data demonstrate that clopidogrel ameliorates microvascular injury during acute airway rejection, which is a known predisposing factor for the development of CLAD.

Mesenchymal Regulation of the Microvascular Niche in Chronic Lung Diseases

The adult lung is comprised of diverse vascular, epithelial, and mesenchymal progenitor cell populations that reside in distinct niches. Mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) are intimately associated with both the epithelium and the vasculature, and new evidence is emerging to describe their functional roles in these niches. Also emerging, following lineage analysis and single cell sequencing, is a new understanding of the diversity of mesenchymal cell subpopulations in the lung. However, several gaps in knowledge remain, including how newly defined MPC lineages interact with cells in the vascular niche and the role of adult lung MPCs during lung repair and regeneration following injury, especially in chronic lung diseases. Here we summarize how the current evidence on MPC regulation of the microvasculature during tissue homeostasis and injury may inform studies on understanding their role in chronic lung disease pathogenesis or repair. © 2019 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 9:1431-1441, 2019.

The Bronchial Arterial Circulation in Lung Transplantation: Bedside to Bench to Bedside, and Beyond

Chronic allograft dysfunction (CLAD) remains a major complication, causing the poor survival after lung transplantation (Tx). Although strenuous efforts have been made at preventing CLAD, surgical approaches for lung Tx have not been updated over the last 2 decades. The bronchial artery (BA), which supplies oxygenated blood to the airways and constitutes a functional microvasculature, has occasionally been revascularized during transplants, but this technique did not gain popularity and is not standard in current lung Tx protocols, despite the fact that a small number of studies have shown beneficial effects of BA revascularization on limiting CLAD. Also, recent basic and clinical evidence has demonstrated the relationship between microvasculature damage and CLAD. Thus, the protection of the bronchial circulation and microvasculature in lung grafts may be a key factor to overcome CLAD. This review revisits the history of BA revascularization, discusses the role of the bronchial circulation in lung Tx, and advocates for novel bronchial-arterial-circulation sparing approaches as a future direction for overcoming CLAD. Although there are some already published review articles summarizing the surgical techniques and their possible contribution to outcomes in lung Tx, to the best of our knowledge, this review is the first to elaborate on bronchial circulation that will contribute to prevent CLAD from both scientific and clinical perspectives: from bedside to bench to bedside, and beyond.

Airway hypoxia in lung transplantation

Lung transplantation is a life-saving operation for patients with advanced lung disease. Pulmonary allografts eventually fail because of infection, thromboembolism, malignancy, airway complications, and chronic rejection, otherwise known as chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Emerging evidence suggests that a highly-compromised airway circulation contributes to the evolution of airway complications and CLAD. There are two significant causes of poor perfusion and airway hypoxia in lung transplantation: an abnormal bronchial circulation which causes airway complications and microvascular rejection which induces CLAD. At the time of transplantation, the bronchial artery circulation, a natural component of the airway circulatory anatomy, is not surgically connected, and bronchi distal to the anastomosis become hypoxic. Subsequently, the bronchial anastomosis is left to heal under ischemic conditions. Still later, the extant microvessels in transplant bronchi are subjected to alloimmune insults that can further negatively impact pulmonary function. This review describes how airway tissue hypoxia evolves in lung transplantation, why depriving oxygenation in the bronchi and more distal bronchioles contributes to disease pathology and what therapeutic interventions are currently emerging to address these vascular injuries. Improving anastomotic vascular healing at the time of transplantation and preventing microvascular loss during acute rejection episodes are two steps that could limit airway hypoxia and improve patient outcomes.

ISHLT Consensus Statement on adult and pediatric airway complications after lung transplantation: Definitions, grading system, and therapeutics

Airway complications remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiothoracic transplantation. The reported incidence of airway ischemic complications varies widely, contributed to by the lack of a universally accepted grading system and standardized definitions. Furthermore, the majority of the existing classification systems fail to integrate the wide range of possible bronchial complications that may develop after lung transplant. Hence, a Working Group was created by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation with the aim of elaborating a universal definition of adult and pediatric airway complications and grading system. One such area of focus is to understand the problem in the context of a more standardized consensus of classifying airway ischemia. This consensus definition will have major clinical, therapeutics, and research implications.

Models of Lung Transplant Research: a consensus statement from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute workshop

Lung transplantation, a cure for a number of end-stage lung diseases, continues to have the worst long-term outcomes when compared with other solid organ transplants. Preclinical modeling of the most common and serious lung transplantation complications are essential to better understand and mitigate the pathophysiological processes that lead to these complications. Various animal and in vitro models of lung transplant complications now exist and each of these models has unique strengths. However, significant issues, such as the required technical expertise as well as the robustness and clinical usefulness of these models, remain to be overcome or clarified. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) convened a workshop in March 2016 to review the state of preclinical science addressing the three most important complications of lung transplantation: primary graft dysfunction (PGD), acute rejection (AR), and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). In addition, the participants of the workshop were tasked to make consensus recommendations on the best use of these complimentary models to close our knowledge gaps in PGD, AR, and CLAD. Their reviews and recommendations are summarized in this report. Furthermore, the participants outlined opportunities to collaborate and directions to accelerate research using these preclinical models.