Mechanical stretch induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelia via hyaluronan activation of innate immunity.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial injury is a central event in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases like acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis, and iatrogenic lung injury. Mechanical stress is an often underappreciated contributor to lung epithelial injury. Following injury, differentiated epithelia can assume a myofibroblast phenotype in a process termed epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to aberrant wound healing and fibrosis. We demonstrate that cyclic mechanical stretch induces EMT in alveolar type II epithelial cells, associated with increased expression of low molecular mass hyaluronan (sHA). We show that sHA is sufficient for induction of EMT in statically cultured alveolar type II epithelial cells and necessary for EMT during cell s

SUBMITTER: Heise RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3093817 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature