Macrophage tumor necrosis factor-α induces epithelial expression of granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor: impact on alveolar epithelial repair

L Cakarova, LM Marsh, J Wilhelm, K Mayer… - American journal of …, 2009 - atsjournals.org
L Cakarova, LM Marsh, J Wilhelm, K Mayer, F Grimminger, W Seeger, J Lohmeyer, S Herold
American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 2009atsjournals.org
Rationale: Resident alveolar macrophages have been attributed a crucial role in host
defense toward pulmonary infection. Their contribution to alveolar repair processes,
however, remains elusive. Objectives: We investigated whether activated resident alveolar
macrophages contribute to alveolar epithelial repair on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge
in vitro and in vivo and analyzed the molecular interaction pathways involved. Methods: We
evaluated macrophage–epithelial cross-talk mediators for epithelial cell proliferation in an in …
Rationale: Resident alveolar macrophages have been attributed a crucial role in host defense toward pulmonary infection. Their contribution to alveolar repair processes, however, remains elusive.
Objectives: We investigated whether activated resident alveolar macrophages contribute to alveolar epithelial repair on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in vitro and in vivo and analyzed the molecular interaction pathways involved.
Methods: We evaluated macrophage–epithelial cross-talk mediators for epithelial cell proliferation in an in vitro coculture system and an in vivo model of LPS-induced acute lung injury comparing wild-type, granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)–deficient (GM−/−), and human SPC–GM mice (GM−/− mice expressing an SPC-promotor–regulated GM-CSF transgene).
Measurements and Main Results: Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and ELISA we showed that LPS-activated alveolar macrophages stimulated alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) to express growth factors, particularly GM-CSF, in coculture. Antibody neutralization experiments revealed epithelial GM-CSF expression to be macrophage tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α dependent. GM-CSF elicited proliferative signaling in AEC via autocrine stimulation. Notably, macrophage TNF-α induced epithelial proliferation in wild-type but not in GM-CSF–deficient AEC as shown by [3H]-thymidine incorporation and cell counting. Moreover, intraalveolar TNF-α neutralization impaired AEC proliferation in LPS-injured mice, as investigated by flow cytometric Ki-67 staining. Additionally, GM-CSF–deficient mice displayed reduced AEC proliferation and sustained alveolar barrier dysfunction on LPS treatment compared with wild-type mice.
Conclusions: Collectively, these findings indicate that TNF-α released from activated resident alveolar macrophages induces epithelial GM-CSF expression, which in turn initiates AEC proliferation and contributes to restoring alveolar barrier function.
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