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Lipoxin A4 Attenuates Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia via Upregulation of Let-7c and Downregulation of TGF-β1 Signaling Pathway

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Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily members are key regulators for lung development and progress of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The mechanisms by which lipoxin A4 (LXA4) attenuates development of BPD have not been clarified. Neonatal murine BPD models were inducted by hyperoxia treatment. Neonatal mice were exposed to room air or 85% O2 hyperoxia with or without treatment with 5S,6R-methyl-LXA4 or anti-TGF-β antibodies. Mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-12 cells) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH/3T3 cells) were cultured in room air or 85% O2 followed by treatment of LXA4, anti-TGF-β antibodies, and let-7c mimic/anti-microRNA transfections. Treatment with 5S,6R-methyl-LXA4 and anti-TGF-β antibodies both attenuated the mice alveolar simplification induced by hyperoxia. Hyperoxia treatment significantly altered pulmonary basal mRNA and protein expressions of several important extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM remodeling proteins including fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), elastin, tenascin C, collagen I, and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1). 5S,6R-methyl-LXA4 and anti-TGF-β antibodies suppressed the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-β1 and TGF-βR1 but not TGF-βR2 in the lungs exposed to hyperoxia. Treatment with LXA4 and anti-TGF-β antibodies alleviated hyperoxia-induced injury of the NIH/3T3 cells identified by morphologic observation and flow cytometry, and expressions of ECM, ECM remodeling proteins, and TGF-β1 signaling pathway, but reversed by transfection with let-7c anti-miRNA. LXA4 upregulated the let-7c expression in MLE-12 cells, transfection with let-7c anti-miRNA, inhibited the LXA4-induced let-7c expression in MLE-12 cells exposed to hyperoxia and reduced the relative luciferase activity of let-7c binding with let-7c binding sites of the TGF-βR1 3′ UTR. Treatment with 5S,6R-methyl-LXA4 and anti-TGF-β antibodies significantly improved histology, ECM, and ECM remodeling proteins in the lungs isolated from the murine BPD model induced by hyperoxia. The LXA4-imparted protective effects on hyperoxia-induced lung injury are mediated by upregulation of let-7c and inhibition of TGF-β1 and subsequent downregulation of TGF-β1 signaling pathway.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Scientific Grand (No. 81300521) from the Government of China and by the Priority Academic Program Development (PAPD) of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (JX10231801).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-Qing Chen, Sheng-Hua Wu, Yan-Yan Luo, Bing-Jie Li, Shu-Jun Li, Rui Jin & Zhong-yi Sun

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, People’s Republic of China

    Hong-Yan Lu

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  1. Xiao-Qing Chen
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Correspondence to Sheng-Hua Wu.

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This work was supported by National Natural Scientific Grand (No. 81300521 and No. 81370746) from the Government of China and by the Priority Academic Program Development (PAPD) of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (JX10231801).

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Chen, XQ., Wu, SH., Luo, YY. et al. Lipoxin A4 Attenuates Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia via Upregulation of Let-7c and Downregulation of TGF-β1 Signaling Pathway. Inflammation 40, 2094–2108 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-017-0649-7

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