HB-EGF-induced IL-8 secretion from airway epithelium leads to lung fibroblast proliferation and migration

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Jingyun Quan¹  Xiaoxia Wen¹  Yanyu Li¹  Weilin Zheng¹  Zhilin Xiong¹  Jiewen Huang¹  Chaole Luo¹  Guomei Su¹  Jinfeng Chen¹  Yu Zhong¹  Tianwen Lai¹  Tong Huang¹  Junfen Cheng²  Weimin Yao² 

[1] Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, 524001, Zhanjiang, China;Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, 524001, Zhanjiang, China;

关键词: HB-EGF;    Lung fibrosis;    IL-8;    Airway epithelium;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12890-021-01726-w

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWe have reported that heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) is increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and associated with collagen deposition, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigated the inflammatory cytokines secreted by bronchial epithelial cells following exposure to HB-EGF that promoted proliferation and migration of human lung fibroblast.MethodsHB-EGF–induced inflammatory cytokines were assayed in two airway epithelial cells (primary human bronchial epithelial cells [HBECs] and BEAS-2B cells). Moreover, the culture supernatants derived from HB-EGF-treated HBECs and BEAS-2B cells were added to human primary lung fibroblasts. The effect of culture supernatants on proliferation and migration of fibroblasts was assessed.ResultsIL-8 expression was significantly increased in bronchial epithelial cells treated with HB-EGF, which was at least partially dependent on NF-kB pathways activation. HB-EGF–induced IL-8 was found to further promote lung fibroblasts proliferation and migration, and the effects were attenuated after neutralizing IL-8.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that HB-EGF may be involved in the pathology of airway fibrosis by induction of IL-8 from airway epithelium, subsequently causing lung fibroblasts proliferation and migration. Thus, inhibition of HBEGF and/or IL-8 production could prevent the development of airway fibrosis by modulating fibroblast activation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY