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Li Y, Zhang Q, Li L, Hao D, Cheng P, Li K, Li X, Wang J, Wang Q, Du Z, Ji H, Chen H. LKB1 deficiency upregulates RELM-α to drive airway goblet cell metaplasia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:42. [PMID: 34921639 PMCID: PMC8738459 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04044-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Targeting airway goblet cell metaplasia is a novel strategy that can potentially reduce the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. Tumor suppressor liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is an important regulator of the proliferation and differentiation of stem/progenitor cells. In this study, we report that LKB1 expression was downregulated in the lungs of patients with COPD and in those of cigarette smoke-exposed mice. Nkx2.1Cre; Lkb1f/f mice with conditional loss of Lkb1 in mouse lung epithelium displayed airway mucus hypersecretion and pulmonary macrophage infiltration. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of the lung tissues from Nkx2.1Cre; Lkb1f/f mice further revealed that airway goblet cell differentiation was altered in the absence of LKB1. An organoid culture study demonstrated that Lkb1 deficiency in mouse airway (club) progenitor cells promoted the expression of FIZZ1/RELM-α, which drove airway goblet cell differentiation and pulmonary macrophage recruitment. Additionally, monocyte-derived macrophages in the lungs of Nkx2.1Cre; Lkb1f/f mice exhibited an alternatively activated M2 phenotype, while expressing RELM-α, which subsequently aggravated airway goblet cell metaplasia. Our findings suggest that the LKB1-mediated crosstalk between airway progenitor cells and macrophages regulates airway goblet cell metaplasia. Moreover, our data suggest that LKB1 agonists might serve as a potential therapeutic option to treat respiratory disorders associated with goblet cell metaplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiuyang Zhang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - De Hao
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Peiyong Cheng
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Kuan Li
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianhai Wang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhongchao Du
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongbin Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaiyong Chen
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
- Key Research Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention for State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Tianjin, China.
- Department of Basic Medicine, Haihe Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Regenerative Medicine, Tianjin, China.
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