Journal: The European Respiratory Journal
Article Title: Particulate matter-related ITIH4 deficiency is associated with an emphysema phenotype of COPD through JNK-dependent and JNK-independent signalling
doi: 10.1183/13993003.01610-2024
Figure Lengend Snippet: Overexpression of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) inhibits oxidative-stress-induced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling and reduction of β-catenin. a) Levels of ITIH4, β-catenin, p-JNK and JNK in bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (20 ng·mL −1 ), interleukin (IL)-1β (10 ng·mL −1 ) or hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) (100–300 μM), examined through an immunoblot analysis (n=6 per group). b) Levels of ITIH4, β-catenin, p-JNK and JNK in BEAS-2B cells exposed to 50–100 μg·mL −1 carbon black (CB), diesel exhaust particles (DEP), urban dust (UD) and vehicle control (ctrl) were measured. Moreover, levels of ITIH4, β-catenin, p-JNK and JNK were determined in c) bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells and d) human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEpCs) exposed to 50–100 μg·mL −1 DEP and DEP-derived particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ) (n=6 per group). e) The effects of exposure to 100 μM H 2 O 2 -mediated expression of ITIH4, β-catenin, p-JNK and JNK proteins were assessed in BEAS-2B cells transfected with ITIH4-overexpression vector or empty vector control (EV) (n=6–7 per group). f) By contrast, the effects of exposure to H 2 O 2 -mediated β-catenin expression and JNK activation were evaluated in BEAS-2B cells transfected with siRNA control or si-ITIH4 (n=6 per group). Levels of p-JNK and JNK were measured in cells exposed to stimuli for 2 h. Levels of ITIH4, β-catenin and actin were measured in cells treated with irritants for 24 h. Relative values are expressed as the fold change calculated through comparison with vehicle-treated cells. Data are presented as mean± sd of at least five for each independent group. *: p<0.05; **: p<0.01.
Article Snippet: Human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEpCs) from healthy (aged 53–70 years) and COPD (aged 59–67 years) donors (C-12642, PromoCell, Heidelberg, Germany) were cultured as submerged undifferentiated monolayers in PromoCell cell growth medium and passaged fewer than five times to prevent cell senescence.
Techniques: Over Expression, Activation Assay, Western Blot, Control, Derivative Assay, Expressing, Transfection, Plasmid Preparation, Comparison