Autophagy protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain-3B (LC3B) activates extrinsic apoptosis during cigarette smoke-induced emphysema.

ABSTRACT: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a debilitating disease caused by chronic exposure to cigarette smoke (CS), which involves airway obstruction and alveolar loss (i.e., emphysema). The mechanisms of COPD pathogenesis remain unclear. Our previous studies demonstrated elevated autophagy in human COPD lung, and as a cellular and tissue response to CS exposure in an experimental model of emphysema in vivo. We identified the autophagic protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain-3B (LC3B) as a positive regulator of CS-induced lung epithelial cell death. We now extend these initial observations to explore the mechanism by which LC3B mediates CS-induced apoptosis and emphysema development in vivo. Here, we observed that LC3B(-/-) mice had significantly decreased levels of ap

SUBMITTER: Chen ZH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2973911 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature