Project description:Pulmonary inflammation compromises lung barrier function and underlies many lung diseases including acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, mechanisms by which lung cells respond to the damage caused by the inflammatory insults are not completely understood. Here we show that Fzd6-deficiency in Foxj1+ ciliated cells reduces pulmonary permeability, lipid peroxidation, and alveolar cell death accompanied with an increase in alveolar number in lungs insulted by LPS or mouse coronavirus MHV-1. Single cell RNA sequencing of lung cells indicates that the lack of Fzd6, which is primarily expressed in Foxj1+ ciliated cells, increases expression of the aldo-keto reductase Akr1b8. Intratracheal administration of the Akr1b8 protein phenocopies Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes. In addition, ferroptosis inhibitors also phenocopy Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes and exert no further effects in Fzd6-deficient lungs. These results indicate that Fzd6-deficiency suppresses inflammation-induced ferroptotic death of alveolar cells via the release of Akr1b8, thus revealing a previously unknown mechanism by which Fzd6 signaling regulates ferroptosis via a paracrine pathway. In addition, this study demonstrates the yet-to-be appreciated importance of ciliated cells in protecting alveolar cells during pulmonary inflammation.
Project description:Pulmonary inflammation compromises lung barrier function and underlies many lung diseases including acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, mechanisms by which lung cells respond to the damage caused by the inflammatory insults are not completely understood. Here we show that Fzd6-deficiency in Foxj1+ ciliated cells reduces pulmonary permeability, lipid peroxidation, and alveolar cell death accompanied with an increase in alveolar number in lungs insulted by LPS or mouse coronavirus MHV-1. Single cell RNA sequencing of lung cells indicates that the lack of Fzd6, which is primarily expressed in Foxj1+ ciliated cells, increases expression of the aldo-keto reductase Akr1b8. Intratracheal administration of the Akr1b8 protein phenocopies Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes. In addition, ferroptosis inhibitors also phenocopy Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes and exert no further effects in Fzd6-deficient lungs. These results indicate that Fzd6-deficiency suppresses inflammation-induced ferroptotic death of alveolar cells via the release of Akr1b8, thus revealing a previously unknown mechanism by which Fzd6 signaling regulates ferroptosis via a paracrine pathway. In addition, this study demonstrates the yet-to-be appreciated importance of ciliated cells in protecting alveolar cells during pulmonary inflammation.
Project description:The hair follicle misorientation phenotype in Fzd6-/- mice appears to act through the PCP signaling system, but the downstream effectors of Fzd6 remain mysterious. We used microarrays to search for potential downstream effectors of the Fzd6 signaling pathway in regulating hair follicle orientation.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of ciliating mouse tracheal epithelial cells compared to non-ciliating cells at two timepoints, ALI+4 and ALI+12, during differentiation in vitro. These cells are obtained from a transgenic mouse expressing GFP from a human FOXJ1 promoter, so that cells destined to become ciliated can be sorted by FACS based on their expression of GFP. Likewise, the control non-ciliated cells are identified by their lack of GFP expression. Ciliated cells were compared to Universal Reference RNA, and non-ciliated cells were compared to Universal Reference RNA. Two-color arrays were used to compare non-ciliated cells, or ciliated cell samples taken at 4 days or 12 days after establishment of the air-liquid interface (ALI), to a Universal Reference RNA. Ciliated cells vs. Universal Reference RNA or Non-ciliated cells vs. Universal Reference RNA. 3 biological replicates from independently grown and harvested cell cultures were performed for non-ciliated cells, 5 biological replicates were performed for a ciliated cell samples at ALI+12, and 3 biological replicates plus 2 technical replicates were performed for ciliated cell samples at ALI+4.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of ciliating mouse tracheal epithelial cells compared to non-ciliating cells at two timepoints, ALI+4 and ALI+12, during differentiation in vitro. These cells are obtained from a transgenic mouse expressing GFP from a human FOXJ1 promoter, so that cells destined to become ciliated can be sorted by FACS based on their expression of GFP. Likewise, the control non-ciliated cells are identified by their lack of GFP expression. Ciliated cells were compared to Universal Reference RNA, and non-ciliated cells were compared to Universal Reference RNA.