Cell-specific and developmental expression of phospholipase C-gamma and diacylglycerol in fetal lung

Surfactant phospholipid metabolism

Pulmonary surfactant is essential for life and is composed of a complex lipoprotein-like mixture that lines the inner surface of the lung to prevent alveolar collapse at the end of expiration. The molecular composition of surfactant depends on highly integrated and regulated processes involving its biosynthesis, remodeling, degradation, and intracellular trafficking. Despite its multicomponent composition, the study of surfactant phospholipid metabolism has focused on two predominant components, disaturated phosphatidylcholine that confers surface-tension lowering activities, and phosphatidylglycerol, recently implicated in innate immune defense. Future studies providing a better understanding of the molecular control and physiological relevance of minor surfactant lipid components are needed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.

A specific phospholipase C activity regulates phosphatidylinositol levels in lung surfactant of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Lung surfactant (LS) is a lipid-rich material lining the inside of the lungs. It reduces surface tension at the liquid/air interface and thus, it confers protection of the alveoli from collapsing. The surface-active component of LS is dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine, while anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) and primarily phosphatidylglycerol are involved in the stabilization of the LS monolayer. The exact role of PtdIns in this system is not well-understood; however, PtdIns levels change dramatically during the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) evolution. In this report we present evidence of a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, which may regulate PtdIns levels. Characterization of this extracellular activity showed specificity for PtdIns and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, sharing the typical substrate concentration-, pH-, and calcium-dependencies with mammalian PI-PLCs. Fractionation of BAL fluid showed that PI-PLC did not co-fractionate with large surfactant aggregates, but it was found mainly in the soluble fraction. Importantly, analysis of BAL samples from control subjects and from patients with ARDS showed that the PI-PLC specific activity was decreased by 4-fold in ARDS samples concurrently with the increase in BAL PtdIns levels. Thus, we have identified for the first time an extracellular PI-PLC enzyme activity that may be acutely involved in the regulation of PtdIns levels in LS.

ErbB4 regulates surfactant synthesis and proliferation in adult rat pulmonary epithelial cells

ErbB4 is a predominant heterodimer for other ErbB receptors in late fetal lung development where it participates in regulating type II cell surfactant synthesis. To further elucidate the role of ErbB4 in pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell function, the authors hypothesized that ErbB4 participates in maintaining adult lung type II cell homeostasis. The authors used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to down-regulate endogenous, ErbB4 receptors in the adult rat lung epithelial L2 cell line and measured neuregulin 1beta (NRG1beta)-, and fibroblast conditioned medium (FCM)-induced effects on L2 cell surfactant phospholipid synthesis and proliferation. Under control conditions, total and phosphorylated ErbB4 were significantly increased after both NRG1beta and FCM treatment, as were surfactant phospholipids synthesis and cell proliferation. Down-regulation of ErbB4 with siRNA reduced stimulation of NRG1beta- and FCM-induced ErbB4 phosphorylation, decreased endogenous surfactant phospholipid synthesis, and blocked NRG1beta- and FCM-stimulated surfactant phospholipid synthesis. NRG1beta- and FCM-induced cell proliferation was not affected. The authors conclude that ErbB4 participates in maintaining adult lung alveolar epithelial cell surfactant synthesis and proliferation with development-specific functions.

Role of matrix metalloprotease-9 in hyperoxic injury in developing lung

Matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) is increased in lung injury following hyperoxia exposure in neonatal mice, in association with impaired alveolar development. We studied the role of MMP-9 in the mechanism of hyperoxia-induced functional and histological changes in neonatal mouse lung. Reduced alveolarization with remodeling of ECM is a major morbidity component of oxidant injury in developing lung. MMP-9 mediates oxidant injury in developing lung causing altered lung remodeling. Five-day-old neonatal wild-type (WT) and MMP-9 (-/-) mice were exposed to hyperoxia for 8 days. The lungs were inflation fixed, and sections were examined for morphometry. The mean linear intercept and alveolar counts were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry for MMP-9 and elastin was performed. MMP-2, MMP-9, type I collagen, and tropoelastin were measured by Western blot analysis. Lung quasistatic compliance was studied in anaesthetized mice. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly increased in lungs of WT mice exposed to hyperoxia compared with controls. Immunohistochemistry showed an increase in MMP-9 in mesenchyme and alveolar epithelium of hyperoxic lungs. The lungs of hyperoxia-exposed WT mice had less gas exchange surface area and were less compliant compared with room air-exposed WT and hyperoxia-exposed MMP-9 (-/-) mice. Type I collagen and tropoelastin were increased in hyperoxia-exposed WT with aberrant elastin staining. These changes were ameliorated in hyperoxia-exposed MMP-9 (-/-) mice. MMP-9 plays an important role in the structural changes consequent to oxygen-induced lung injury. Blocking MMP-9 activity may lead to novel therapeutic approaches in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

The role of IL-6 and IL-11 in hyperoxic injury in developing lung

We examined the cytoprotective effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-11 (IL-11) during oxidant injury in neonatal lung and the regulators of cell death in vitro and in vivo after oxidant exposure. Type II cells from day 21 fetal neonatal rat lungs were treated with varying concentrations of either IL-6 or IL-11 for 24 hr prior to exposure to H(2)O(2). Three-day-old transgenic lung-specific IL-11 and IL-6 overexpressing and wild type (WT) mouse pups were exposed to hyperoxia or room air for 3 days. Type II cells exposed to either IL-6 or IL-11 prior to oxidant injury exhibited improved survival compared to controls, 67% +/- 2.6 survivals in IL-6 pretreated cells compared to 48% +/- 1.6 in control; 63% +/- 3 survivals in IL-11 pretreated cells compared to 49% +/- 2.6 in control. The number of TUNEL positive cells in hyperoxia-exposed lungs was increased compared to room air animals (27 +/- 0.9 vs. 4 +/- 0.4; mean +/- SEM; P < 0.05). In contrast, the number of TUNEL positive cells was reduced in hyperoxia-exposed lungs from IL-11 (+) mice (15.2 +/- 2.2; mean +/- SEM; P < 0.05). There was an enhanced accumulation of Bcl-2 and reduction of Bax protein in hyperoxia-exposed IL-11 (+) compared to room air-exposed mice. This was not seen in hyperoxia-exposed IL-6 (+) pups. An increase in caspase-3 was seen in hyperoxia-exposed lungs of WT pups compared to IL-11 (+) pups. IL-11 and IL-6 provide protective effects against oxidant-mediated injury in fetal type II cells and IL-11 provides protection in vivo by down-regulation of caspase-mediated cell death.

Expression of specific protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms and ligand-specific activation of PKCalpha in late gestation fetal lung

Epidermal growth factor receptor signaling plays an important role in lung maturation. The authors hypothesized that specific protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are expressed and activated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) (EGF receptor [EGFR] ligands) in fetal lung fibroblasts. The authors found 4 PKC isoforms expressed in gestational day 19 (d19) fetal rat lung fibroblasts, and focused on PKCalpha because of its developmental expression pattern. PKCalpha immunolocalization in d17, d19, and d21 fetal lung fibroblasts was similar to EGFR. PKCalpha expression decreased with lung maturation. EGF, but not TGFalpha, stimulated PKCalpha activation and membrane translocation. Further studies of PKCalpha functions in fetal lung development are clearly needed.

Growth factors in lung development

Organized and coordinated lung development follows transcriptional regulation of a complex set of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions resulting in a blood-gas interface ready for physiologic gas exchange at birth. Transcription factors, growth factors, and various other signaling molecules regulate epithelial-mesenchymal interactions by paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. Transcriptional control at the earliest stages of lung development results in cell differentiation and cell commitment in the primitive lung bud, in essence setting up a framework for pattern formation and branching morphogenesis. Branching morphogenesis results in the formation of the conductive airway system, which is critical for alveolization. Lung development is influenced at all stages by spatial and temporal distribution of various signaling molecules and their receptors and also by the positive and negative control of signaling by paracrine, autocrine, and endocrine mechanisms. Lung bud formation, cell differentiation, and its interaction with the splanchnic mesoderm are regulated by HNF-3beta, Shh, Nkx2.1, HNF-3/Forkhead homolog-8 (HFH-8), Gli, and GATA transcription factors. HNF-3beta regulates Nkx2.1, a transcription factor critical to the formation of distal pulmonary structures. Nkx2.1 regulates surfactant protein genes that are important for the development of alveolar stability at birth. Shh, produced by the foregut endoderm, regulates lung morphogenesis signaling through Gli genes expressed in the mesenchyme. FGF10, produced by the mesoderm, regulates branching morphogenesis via its receptors on the lung epithelium. Alveolization and formation of the capillary network are influenced by various factors that include PDGF, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and retinoic acid. Epithelial-endothelial interactions during lung development are important in establishing a functional blood-gas interface. The effects of various growth factors on lung development have been demonstrated by gain- or loss-of-function studies in null mutant and transgenic mice models. Understanding the role of growth factors and various other signaling molecules and their cellular interactions in lung development will provide us with new insights into the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and disorders of lung morphogenesis.