A four-part guide to lung immunology: Invasion, inflammation, immunity, and intervention.

Lungs are important respiratory organs primarily involved in gas exchange. Lungs interact directly with the environment and their primary function is affected by several inflammatory responses caused by allergens, inflammatory mediators, and pathogens, eventually leading to disease. The immune architecture of the lung consists of an extensive network of innate immune cells, which induce adaptive immune responses based on the nature of the pathogen(s).

T2R bitter taste receptors regulate apoptosis and may be associated with survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Better management of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) requires a clearer understanding of tumor biology and disease risk. Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) have been studied in several cancers, including thyroid, salivary, and GI, but their role in HNSCC has not been explored. We found that HNSCC patient samples and cell lines expressed functional T2Rs on both the cell and nuclear membranes.

Small-molecule Akt-activation in airway cells induces NO production and reduces IL-8 transcription through Nrf-2.

Background: The non-cancerous functions of Akt in the airway are understudied. In some tissues, Akt phosphorylates and activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to produce nitric oxide (NO) that has anti-inflammatory effects. NO production has antibacterial and antiviral effects in the airway, and increasing NO may be a useful anti-pathogen strategy.

Targeting the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway in airway innate immunity.

The airway innate immune system maintains the first line of defense against respiratory infections. The airway epithelium and associated immune cells protect the respiratory system from inhaled foreign organisms. These cells sense pathogens activation of receptors like toll-like receptors and taste family 2 receptors (T2Rs) and respond by producing antimicrobials, inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines.

Bitter taste receptors stimulate phagocytosis in human macrophages through calcium, nitric oxide, and cyclic-GMP signaling.

Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are GPCRs involved in detection of bitter compounds by type 2 taste cells of the tongue, but are also expressed in other tissues throughout the body, including the airways, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. These T2Rs can be activated by several bacterial products and regulate innate immune responses in several cell types. Expression of T2Rs has been demonstrated in immune cells like neutrophils; however, the molecular details of their signaling are unknown.

Identification of Pirin as a Molecular Target of the CCG-1423/CCG-203971 Series of Antifibrotic and Antimetastatic Compounds.

A series of compounds (including CCG-1423 and CCG-203971) discovered through an MRTF/SRF-dependent luciferase screen has shown remarkable efficacy in a variety of and models, including significant reduction of melanoma metastasis and bleomycin- induced fibrosis. Although these compounds are efficacious in these disease models, the molecular target is unknown. Here, we describe affinity isolation-based target identification efforts which yielded pirin, an iron-dependent cotranscription factor, as a target of this series of compounds.

Bleomycin-Induced Neonatal Lung Injury Requires the Autocrine Pulmonary Angiotensin System.

Background: Previous work from this laboratory demonstrated that apoptosis is regulated by a local angiotensin (ANG) system in alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). Autocrine generation of angiotensin II (ANGII) in response to endogenous or xenobiotic inducers is required for apoptosis in adult rat AECs and in AEC-derived human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Therefore, we hypothesized that a similar mechanism might also be involved in bleomycin (Bleo)-induced murine neonatal lung injury.

Angiotensin-(1-7)/mas inhibits apoptosis in alveolar epithelial cells through upregulation of MAP kinase phosphatase-2.

Earlier work from this laboratory showed that autocrine generation of angiotensin II and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase phosphorylation (p-JNK) are both required events in alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) apoptosis. Although earlier data showed that angiotensin-(1-7) [ANG-(1-7)] protects against AEC apoptosis, the pathways by which ANG-(1-7)/mas activation prevent JNK phosphorylation and apoptosis are poorly understood. Therefore, in the current study, it was theorized that ANG-(1-7) activates a mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP) and thereby reduces JNK phosphorylation to inhibit apoptosis and promote cell survival.

Hyperoxia downregulates angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 in human fetal lung fibroblasts.

Background: Angiotensin (ANG) II is involved in experimental hyperoxia-induced lung fibrosis. Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) degrades ANG II and is thus protective, but is downregulated in adult human and experimental lung fibrosis. Hyperoxia is a known cause of chronic fibrotic lung disease in neonates, but the role of ACE-2 in neonatal lung fibrosis is unknown.

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of ACE-2/ANG1-7/Mas axis on lung injury.

An established body of recent literature has demonstrated potent inhibitory effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2)/ANG1-7/ Mas axis on acute lung injury and lung fibrogenesis. One of the mechanisms of this inhibition is the enzymatic action of ACE-2 to degrade its main substrate angiotensin (ANG) II, thereby reducing the injurious and profibrotic activities of this octapeptide. Another, potentially more important mechanism is the production by ACE-2 of the heptapeptide ANG1-7, which inhibits the actions of ANGII through its own receptor Mas, the product of the oncogene of the same name.

Abrogation of ER stress-induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells by angiotensin 1-7.

Earlier work showed that apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) in response to endogenous or xenobiotic factors is regulated by autocrine generation of angiotensin (ANG) II and its counterregulatory peptide ANG1-7. Mutations in surfactant protein C (SP-C) induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis in AECs and cause lung fibrosis. This study tested the hypothesis that ER stress-induced apoptosis of AECs might also be regulated by the autocrine ANGII/ANG1-7 system of AECs.