Suppression of cigarette smoke induced MMP1 expression by selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.

Globally, COPD remains a major cause of disability and death. In the United States alone, it is estimated that approximately 14 million people suffer from the disease. Given the high disease burden and requirement for chronic, long-term medical care associated with COPD, it is essential that new disease modifying agents are developed to complement the symptomatic therapeutics currently available.

Loss of secreted frizzled-related protein-1 leads to deterioration of cardiac function in mice and plays a role in human cardiomyopathy.

Background: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a central role during cardiac development and has been implicated in cardiac remodeling and aging. However, the role of Wnt modulators in this process is unknown. In this study, we examined the role of the Wnt signaling inhibitor secreted frizzled-related protein-1 (sFRP-1) in aged wild-type and sFRP-1-deficient mice.

Functional characterization of the matrix metalloproteinase-1 cigarette smoke-responsive region and association with the lung health study.

Background: Prior studies have demonstrated that the distal 1.5 kb of the MMP-1 promoter is fundamental in directing the induction of the MMP-1 gene by cigarette smoke.

Methods: To characterize the genetic variants in the MMP-1 cigarette smoke-responsive element, deep re-sequencing of this element was performed on DNA samples from participants in the Lung Health Study.

The therapeutic potential of RORγ modulators in the treatment of human disease.

Nuclear receptors (NR) are ligand-regulated transcription factors that bind DNA in proximity to their target genes and exert their effects as a result of binding by small molecule ligands such as sterols, lipids, fatty acids, retinoids, and steroid hormones. The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors or RORs (NR1F1-NR1F3) are nuclear receptors that regulate multiple cellular processes, including metabolism, cellular differentiation, and apoptosis, in a range of tissues and organs. These receptors bind as monomers to ROR response elements commonly called ROREs present in promoter regions of target genes and tether chromatin remodeling enzymes, facilitating recruitment of transcription machinery.

The divergent roles of secreted frizzled related protein-1 (SFRP1) in lung morphogenesis and emphysema.

Developmentally expressed genes are believed to play a central role in tissue repair after injury; however, in lung disease their role has not been established. This study demonstrates that SFRP1, an inhibitor of Wnt signaling normally expressed during lung embryogenesis, is induced in the lungs of emphysema patients and in two murine models of the disease. SFRP1 was found to be essential for alveolar formation as Sfrp1(-/-) mice exhibited aberrant Wnt signaling, mesenchymal proliferation, and impaired alveoli formation.

Role for cathepsin K in emphysema in smoke-exposed guinea pigs.

The protease-antiprotease imbalance in the lung plays an important role in the pathogenesis of smoke-induced emphysema. The aim of this study was to characterize the proteolytic responses leading to emphysema formation in the guinea pig smoke exposure model. Guinea pigs were exposed to cigarette smoke for 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

Selective and brain penetrant neuropeptide y y2 receptor antagonists discovered by whole-cell high-throughput screening.

The role of neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor (Y2R) in human diseases such as obesity, mood disorders, and alcoholism could be better resolved by the use of small-molecule chemical probes that are substantially different from the currently available Y2R antagonist, N-[(1S)-4-[(aminoiminomethyl)amino]-1-[[[2-(3,5-dioxo-1,2-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazolidin-4-yl)ethyl]amino]carbonyl]butyl]-1-[2-[4-(6,11-dihydro-6-oxo-5H-dibenz[b,e]azepin-11-yl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-oxoethyl]-cyclopentaneacetamide) (BIIE0246). Presented here are five potent, selective, and publicly available Y2R antagonists identified by a high-throughput screening approach. These compounds belong to four chemical scaffolds that are structurally distinct from the peptidomimetic BIIE0246.

Identification of a cigarette smoke-responsive region in the distal MMP-1 promoter.

Tobacco-related diseases are leading causes of death worldwide, and many are associated with expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1). We have reported extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2-dependent induction of MMP-1 by cigarette smoke in lung epithelial cells. Our objectives were to define regions of the human MMP-1 promoter required for activation by smoke, to identify differences in responses of the 1G/2G -1607 polymorphic promoters to smoke, and to identify relevant transcription factors whose activity in airway epithelial cells is increased by smoke.

A coactivator trap identifies NONO (p54nrb) as a component of the cAMP-signaling pathway.

Signal transduction pathways often use a transcriptional component to mediate adaptive cellular responses. Coactivator proteins function prominently in these pathways as the conduit to the basic transcriptional machinery. Here we present a high-throughput cell-based screening strategy, termed the "coactivator trap," to study the functional interactions of coactivators with transcription factors.

Emerging role of MAP kinase pathways as therapeutic targets in COPD.

Studies examining the cellular mechanisms of inflammation and protease production in the lung tissue and airways of COPD patients have shed light on the important role of kinase-based signaling cascades. These pathways can be activated by environmental stimuli such as tobacco smoke, and by endogenous signals such as cytokines, growth factors, and inflammation-derived oxidants. The three most widely characterized cascades are those directed by the classical mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase (ERK1/2), stress activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase, and p38 enzymes.

The Epithelial Cell in Lung Health and Emphysema Pathogenesis.

Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of the irreversible lung disease emphysema. Historically, inflammatory cells such as macrophages and neutrophils have been studied for their role in emphysema pathology. However, recent studies indicate that the lung epithelium is an active participant in emphysema pathogenesis and plays a critical role in the lung's response to cigarette smoke.

Structural emphysema does not correlate with lung compliance: lessons from the mouse smoking model.

The murine smoke-induced model produces histologic emphysema. The authors sought to assess whether the structural emphysema that occurred correlated with the development of compliance changes. The study exposed 2 strains of mice (CBA/J/J x C57BL/6J and A/J) to chronic cigarette smoke.

Extracellular regulated kinase/mitogen activated protein kinase is up-regulated in pulmonary emphysema and mediates matrix metalloproteinase-1 induction by cigarette smoke.

The interstitial collagenase matrix metalloprotein-ase-1 (MMP-1) is up-regulated in the lung during pulmonary emphysema. The mechanisms underlying this aberrant expression are poorly understood. Although cigarette smoking is the predominant cause of emphysema, only 15-20% of smokers develop the disease.