Cigarette smoking induces human CCR6Th17 lymphocytes senescence and VEGF-A secretion.

Chronic exposure to environmental pollutants is often associated with systemic inflammation. As such, cigarette smoking contributes to inflammation and lung diseases by inducing senescence of pulmonary cells such as pneumocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Yet, how smoking worsens evolution of chronic inflammatory disorders associated with Th17 lymphocytes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis, is largely unknown.

Lack of Transcription Factor p53 Exacerbates Elastase-Induced Emphysema in Mice.

The transcription factor p53 is overexpressed in the lung of patients with emphysema, but it remains unclear if it has a deleterious or protective effect in disease progression. We investigated the role of p53 in the elastase-induced emphysema model and the molecular underlining mechanisms. Wild-type (WT) and p53(-/-) mice were instilled with pancreatic porcine elastase.