Inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex represses human lung myofibroblast differentiation and attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Background And Purpose: The Arp2/3 multiprotein complex regulates branched polymerisation of the actin cytoskeleton and may contribute to collagen synthesis and fibrogenesis in the lung.

Experimental Approach: Expression of Arp2/3 components was assessed in human lung fibroblasts and in the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in mice. The Arp2/3 complex was repressed with the allosteric inhibitor CK666 and with interfering RNAs targeting the ARP2, ARP3 and ARPC2 subunits (siARP2, siARP3 and siARPC2) in CCD-16Lu human lung fibroblasts in vitro.