Smooth-muscle-derived WNT5A augments allergen-induced airway remodelling and Th2 type inflammation.

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic inflammation and structural changes in the airways. The airway smooth muscle (ASM) is responsible for airway narrowing and an important source of inflammatory mediators. We and others have previously shown that WNT5A mRNA and protein expression is higher in the ASM of asthmatics compared to healthy controls.

Cholinergic neuroplasticity in asthma driven by TrkB signaling.

Parasympathetic neurons in the airways control bronchomotor tone. Increased activity of cholinergic neurons are mediators of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthma, however, mechanisms are not elucidated. We describe remodeling of the cholinergic neuronal network in asthmatic airways driven by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB).

Endothelial follistatin-like-1 regulates the postnatal development of the pulmonary vasculature by modulating BMP/Smad signaling.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling regulates vascular smooth muscle maturation, endothelial cell proliferation, and tube formation. The endogenous BMP antagonist Follistatin-like 1 (Fstl1) is highly expressed in pulmonary vascular endothelium of the developing mouse lung, suggesting a role in pulmonary vascular formation and vascular homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Fstl1 in the pulmonary vascular endothelium.

Muscarinic M₃ receptors contribute to allergen-induced airway remodeling in mice.

Asthma is a chronic obstructive airway disease, characterized by inflammation and remodeling. Acetylcholine contributes to symptoms by inducing bronchoconstriction via the muscarinic M3 receptor. Recent evidence suggests that bronchoconstriction can regulate airway remodeling, and therefore implies a role for the muscarinic M3 receptor.

Caveolin-1 is required for contractile phenotype expression by airway smooth muscle cells.

Airway smooth muscle cells exhibit phenotype plasticity that underpins their ability to contribute both to acute bronchospasm and to the features of airway remodelling in chronic asthma. A feature of mature, contractile smooth muscle cells is the presence of abundant caveolae, plasma membrane invaginations that develop from the association of lipid rafts with caveolin-1, but the functional role of caveolae and caveolin-1 in smooth muscle phenotype plasticity is unknown. Here, we report a key role for caveolin-1 in promoting phenotype maturation of differentiated airway smooth muscle induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β(1).

Caveolae and caveolins in the respiratory system.

Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane that are present in most structural cells. They owe their characteristic Omega-shape to complexes of unique proteins, the caveolins, which indirectly tether cholesterol and sphingolipid-enriched membrane microdomains to the cytoskeleton. Caveolins possess a unique scaffolding domain that anchors receptors, ion channels, second messenger producing enzymes, and effector kinases, thereby sequestering them to caveolae, and modulating cellular signaling and vesicular transport.