Differential topical susceptibility to TGFβ in intact and injured regions of the epithelium: key role in myofibroblast transition.

ABSTRACT: Induction of epithelial-myofibroblast transition (EMyT), a robust fibrogenic phenotype change hallmarked by α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression, requires transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ) and the absence/uncoupling of intracellular contacts. This suggests that an "injured" epithelium may be topically susceptible to TGFβ. To explore this concept, we use an epithelial wound model in which intact and contact-deprived regions of the same monolayer can be analyzed simultaneously. We show that TGFβ elicits dramatically different responses at these two loci. SMA expression and initially enhanced nuclear Smad3 accumulation followed by Smad3 mRNA and protein down-regulation occur exclusively at the wound. Mechanistically, three transcriptional coactivators whose localization is regulated by c

SUBMITTER: Speight P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3814143 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature