Club cell-specific role of programmed cell death 5 in pulmonary fibrosis

Nat Commun. 2021 May 19;12(1):2923. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23277-8.

Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) causes progressive fibrosis and worsening pulmonary function. Prognosis is poor and no effective therapies exist. We show that programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5) expression is increased in the lungs of patients with IPF and in mouse models of lung fibrosis. Lung fibrosis is significantly diminished by club cell-specific deletion of Pdcd5 gene. PDCD5 mediates β-catenin/Smad3 complex formation, promoting TGF-β-induced transcriptional activation of matricellular genes. Club cell Pdcd5 knockdown reduces matricellular protein secretion, inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. Here, we demonstrate the club cell-specific role of PDCD5 as a mediator of lung fibrosis and potential therapeutic target for IPF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / deficiency
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Bronchioles / metabolism
  • Bronchioles / pathology
  • Cell Line
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / genetics*
  • Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Proteins / deficiency
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism
  • Respiratory Mucosa / pathology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Smad3 Protein / metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • PDCD5 protein, human
  • Pdcd5 protein, mouse
  • Smad3 Protein
  • Smad3 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases