Results from randomized trial of pirfenidone in patients with chronic rejection (STOP-CLAD study).

BACKGROUND: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is the leading long-term cause of poor outcomes after transplant and manifests by fibrotic remodeling of small airways and/or pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis. This study evaluated the effect of pirfenidone on quantitative radiographic and pulmonary function assessment in patients with CLAD. METHODS: We performed a single-center, 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of pirfenidone in patients with CLAD. Randomization was stratified by CLAD phenotype. The primary outcome for this study was change in radiographic assessment of small airways disease, quantified as percentage of lung volume using parametric response mapping analysis of computed tomography scans (PRMfSAD); secondary outcomes included change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), change in forced vital capacity (FVC), and change in radiographic quantification of parenchymal disease (PRMPD). Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the treatment effect on outcome measures. RESULTS: The goal enrollment of 60 patients was not met due to the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic, with 23 patients included in the analysis. There was no significant difference over the study period between the pirfenidone vs placebo groups with regards to the observed change in PRMfSAD (+4.2% vs -0.4%; p = 0.22), FEV1 (-3.5% vs -3.6%; p = 0.97), FVC (-1.9% vs -4.6%; p = 0.41), or PRMPD (-0.6% vs -2.5%; p = 0.30). The study treatment tolerance and adverse events were generally similar between the pirfenidone and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pirfenidone had no apparent impact on radiographic evidence of allograft dysfunction or pulmonary function decline in a single-center randomized trial of CLAD patients that did not meet enrollment goals but had an acceptable tolerance and side-effect profile.

The Lung Microbiome Predicts Mortality and Response to Azithromycin in Lung Transplant Recipients with Chronic Rejection.

Rationale: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is the leading cause of death after lung transplant, and azithromycin has variable efficacy in CLAD. The lung microbiome is a risk factor for developing CLAD, but the relationship between lung dysbiosis, pulmonary inflammation, and allograft dysfunction remains poorly understood. Whether lung microbiota predict outcomes or modify treatment response after CLAD is unknown. Objectives: To determine whether lung microbiota predict post-CLAD outcomes and clinical response to azithromycin. Methods: Retrospective cohort study using acellular BAL fluid prospectively collected from recipients of lung transplant within 90 days of CLAD onset. Lung microbiota were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and droplet digital PCR. In two additional cohorts, causal relationships of dysbiosis and inflammation were evaluated by comparing lung microbiota with CLAD-associated cytokines and measuring ex vivo P. aeruginosa growth in sterilized BAL fluid. Measurements and Main Results: Patients with higher bacterial burden had shorter post-CLAD survival, independent of CLAD phenotype, azithromycin treatment, and relevant covariates. Azithromycin treatment improved survival in patients with high bacterial burden but had negligible impact on patients with low or moderate burden. Lung bacterial burden was positively associated with CLAD-associated cytokines, and ex vivo growth of P. aeruginosa was augmented in BAL fluid from transplant recipients with CLAD. Conclusions: In recipients of lung transplants with chronic rejection, increased lung bacterial burden is an independent risk factor for mortality and predicts clinical response to azithromycin. Lung bacterial dysbiosis is associated with alveolar inflammation and may be promoted by underlying lung allograft dysfunction.

Development and validation of primary graft dysfunction predictive algorithm for lung transplant candidates.

BACKGROUND: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of early morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. Accurate prediction of PGD risk could inform donor approaches and perioperative care planning. We sought to develop a clinically useful, generalizable PGD prediction model to aid in transplant decision-making. METHODS: We derived a predictive model in a prospective cohort study of subjects from 2012 to 2018, followed by a single-center external validation. We used regularized (lasso) logistic regression to evaluate the predictive ability of clinically available PGD predictors and developed a user interface for clinical application. Using decision curve analysis, we quantified the net benefit of the model across a range of PGD risk thresholds and assessed model calibration and discrimination. RESULTS: The PGD predictive model included distance from donor hospital to recipient transplant center, recipient age, predicted total lung capacity, lung allocation score (LAS), body mass index, pulmonary artery mean pressure, sex, and indication for transplant; donor age, sex, mechanism of death, and donor smoking status; and interaction terms for LAS and donor distance. The interface allows for real-time assessment of PGD risk for any donor/recipient combination. The model offers decision-making net benefit in the PGD risk range of 10% to 75% in the derivation centers and 2% to 10% in the validation cohort, a range incorporating the incidence in that cohort. CONCLUSION: We developed a clinically useful PGD predictive algorithm across a range of PGD risk thresholds to support transplant decision-making, posttransplant care, and enrich samples for PGD treatment trials.

The Impact of Donor Smoking on Primary Graft Dysfunction and Mortality after Lung Transplantation.

Rationale: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of early morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. Prior studies implicated proxy-defined donor smoking as a risk factor for PGD and mortality. Objectives: We aimed to more accurately assess the impact of donor smoke exposure on PGD and mortality using quantitative smoke exposure biomarkers. Methods: We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of lung transplant recipients enrolled in the Lung Transplant Outcomes Group cohort between 2012 and 2018. PGD was defined as grade 3 at 48 or 72 hours after lung reperfusion. Donor smoking was defined using accepted thresholds of urinary biomarkers of nicotine exposure (cotinine) and tobacco-specific nitrosamine (4-[methylnitrosamino]-1-[3-pyridyl]-1-butanol [NNAL]) in addition to clinical history. The donor smoking-PGD association was assessed using logistic regression, and survival analysis was performed using inverse probability of exposure weighting according to smoking category. Measurements and Main Results: Active donor smoking prevalence varied by definition, with 34-43% based on urinary cotinine, 28% by urinary NNAL, and 37% by clinical documentation. The standardized risk of PGD associated with active donor smoking was higher across all definitions, with an absolute risk increase of 11.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8% to 19.2%) by urinary cotinine, 5.7% (95% CI, -3.4% to 14.9%) by urinary NNAL, and 6.5% (95% CI, -2.8% to 15.8%) defined clinically. Donor smoking was not associated with differential post-lung transplant survival using any definition. Conclusions: Donor smoking associates with a modest increase in PGD risk but not with increased recipient mortality. Use of lungs from smokers is likely safe and may increase lung donor availability. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00552357).

Genetic deficiency of the transcription factor NFAT1 confers protection against fibrogenic responses independent of immune influx.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by unremitting matrix deposition and architectural distortion. Multiple profibrotic pathways contribute to the persistent activation of mesenchymal cells (MCs) in fibrosis, highlighting the need to identify and target common signaling pathways. The transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT1) lies downstream of second messenger calcium signaling and has been recently shown to regulate key profibrotic mediator autotaxin (ATX) in lung MCs. Herein, we investigate the role of NFAT1 in regulating fibroproliferative responses during the development of lung fibrosis. Nfat1-/--deficient mice subjected to bleomycin injury demonstrated improved survival and protection from lung fibrosis and collagen deposition as compared with bleomycin-injured wild-type (WT) mice. Chimera mice, generated by reconstituting bone marrow cells from WT or Nfat1-/- mice into irradiated WT mice (WT→WT and Nfat1-/-→WT), demonstrated no difference in bleomycin-induced fibrosis, suggesting immune influx-independent fibroprotection in Nfat1-/- mice. Examination of lung tissue and flow sorted lineageneg/platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα)pos MCs demonstrated decreased MC numbers, proliferation [↓ cyclin D1 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation], myofibroblast differentiation [↓ α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)], and survival (↓ Birc5) in Nfat1-/- mice. Nfat1 deficiency abrogated ATX expression in response to bleomycin in vivo and MCs derived from Nfat1-/- mice demonstrated decreased ATX expression and migration in vitro. Human IPF MCs demonstrated constitutive NFAT1 activation, and regulation of ATX in these cells by NFAT1 was confirmed using pharmacological and genetic inhibition. Our findings identify NFAT1 as a critical mediator of profibrotic processes, contributing to dysregulated lung remodeling and suggest its targeting in MCs as a potential therapeutic strategy in IPF.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease with hallmarks of fibroblastic foci and exuberant matrix deposition, unknown etiology, and ineffective therapies. Several profibrotic/proinflammatory pathways are implicated in accelerating tissue remodeling toward a honeycombed end-stage disease. NFAT1 is a transcriptional factor activated in IPF tissues. Nfat1-deficient mice subjected to chronic injury are protected against fibrosis independent of immune influxes, with suppression of profibrotic mesenchymal phenotypes including proliferation, differentiation, resistance to apoptosis, and autotaxin-related migration.

Computed tomography-based machine learning for donor lung screening before transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Assessment and selection of donor lungs remain largely subjective and experience based. Criteria to accept or decline lungs are poorly standardized and are not compliant with the current donor pool. Using ex vivo computed tomography (CT) images, we investigated the use of a CT-based machine learning algorithm for screening donor lungs before transplantation. METHODS: Clinical measures and ex situ CT scans were collected from 100 cases as part of a prospective clinical trial. Following procurement, donor lungs were inflated, placed on ice according to routine clinical practice, and imaged using a clinical CT scanner before transplantation while stored in the icebox. We trained and tested a supervised machine learning method called dictionary learning, which uses CT scans and learns specific image patterns and features pertaining to each class for a classification task. The results were evaluated with donor and recipient clinical measures. RESULTS: Of the 100 lung pairs donated, 70 were considered acceptable for transplantation (based on standard clinical assessment) before CT screening and were consequently implanted. The remaining 30 pairs were screened but not transplanted. Our machine learning algorithm was able to detect pulmonary abnormalities on the CT scans. Among the patients who received donor lungs, our algorithm identified recipients who had extended stays in the intensive care unit and were at 19 times higher risk of developing chronic lung allograft dysfunction within 2 years posttransplant. CONCLUSIONS: We have created a strategy to ex vivo screen donor lungs using a CT-based machine learning algorithm. As the use of suboptimal donor lungs rises, it is important to have in place objective techniques that will assist physicians in accurately screening donor lungs to identify recipients most at risk of posttransplant complications.

CT-based Machine Learning for Donor Lung Screening Prior to Transplantation.

Background: Assessment and selection of donor lungs remains largely subjective and experience based. Criteria to accept or decline lungs are poorly standardized and are not compliant with the current donor pool. Using ex vivo CT images, we investigated the use of a CT-based machine learning algorithm for screening donor lungs prior to transplantation. Methods: Clinical measures and ex-situ CT scans were collected from 100 cases as part of a prospective clinical trial. Following procurement, donor lungs were inflated, placed on ice according to routine clinical practice, and imaged using a clinical CT scanner prior to transplantation while stored in the icebox. We trained and tested a supervised machine learning method called dictionary learning , which uses CT scans and learns specific image patterns and features pertaining to each class for a classification task. The results were evaluated with donor and recipient clinical measures. Results: Of the 100 lung pairs donated, 70 were considered acceptable for transplantation (based on standard clinical assessment) prior to CT screening and were consequently implanted. The remaining 30 pairs were screened but not transplanted. Our machine learning algorithm was able to detect pulmonary abnormalities on the CT scans. Among the patients who received donor lungs, our algorithm identified recipients who had extended stays in the ICU and were at 19 times higher risk of developing CLAD within 2 years post-transplant. Conclusions: We have created a strategy to ex vivo screen donor lungs using a CT-based machine learning algorithm. As the use of suboptimal donor lungs rises, it is important to have in place objective techniques that will assist physicians in accurately screening donor lungs to identify recipients most at risk of post-transplant complications.

The mitigating effect of exogenous carbon monoxide on chronic allograft rejection and fibrosis post-lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Small airway inflammation and fibrosis or bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is the predominant presentation of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) post-lung transplantation. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a critical endogenous signaling transducer with known anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects but its therapeutic potential in CLAD remains to be fully elucidated. METHODS: Here we investigate the effect of inhaled CO in modulating chronic lung allograft rejection pathology in a murine orthotopic lung transplant model of BO (B6D2F1/J→DBA/2J). Additionally, the effects of CO on the activated phenotype of mesenchymal cells isolated from human lung transplant recipients with CLAD were studied. RESULTS: Murine lung allografts treated with CO (250 ppm × 30 minutes twice daily from days 7 to 40 post-transplantation) demonstrated decreased immune cell infiltration, fibrosis, and airway obliteration by flow cytometry, trichrome staining, and morphometric analysis, respectively. Decreased total collagen, with levels comparable to isografts, was noted in CO-treated allografts by quantitative hydroxyproline assay. In vitro, CO (250 ppm × 16h) was effective in reversing the fibrotic phenotype of human CLAD mesenchymal cells with decreased collagen I and ß-catenin expression as well as an inhibitory effect on ERK1/2 MAPK, and mTORC1/2 signaling. Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, partially mimicked the effects of CO on CLAD mesenchymal cells and was partially effective in decreasing collagen deposition in murine allografts, suggesting the contribution of cGMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms in mediating the effect of CO. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a potential role for CO in alleviating allograft fibrosis and mitigating chronic rejection pathology post-lung transplant.

Overexpression of Decay Accelerating Factor Mitigates Fibrotic Responses to Lung Injury.

CD55 or decay accelerating factor (DAF), a ubiquitously expressed glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein, confers a protective threshold against complement dysregulation which is linked to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Since lung fibrosis is associated with downregulation of DAF, we hypothesize that overexpression of DAF in fibrosed lungs will limit fibrotic injury by restraining complement dysregulation. Normal primary human alveolar type II epithelial cells (AECs) exposed to exogenous complement 3a or 5a, and primary AECs purified from IPF lungs demonstrated decreased membrane-bound DAF expression with concurrent increase in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress protein, ATF6. Increased loss of extracellular cleaved DAF fragments was detected in normal human AECs exposed to complement 3a or 5a, and in lungs of IPF patients. C3a-induced ATF6 expression and DAF loss was inhibited using pertussis toxin (an enzymatic inactivator of G-protein coupled receptors), in murine AECs. Treatment with soluble DAF abrogated tunicamycin-induced C3a secretion and ER stress (ATF6 and BiP expression) and restored epithelial cadherin. Bleomycin-injured fibrotic mice subjected to lentiviral overexpression of DAF demonstrated diminished levels of local collagen deposition and complement activation. Further analyses showed diminished release of DAF fragments, as well as reduction in apoptosis (TUNEL and caspase 3/7 activity), and ER stress-related transcripts. Loss-of-function studies using Daf1 siRNA demonstrated worsened lung fibrosis detected by higher mRNA levels of Col1a1 and epithelial injury-related Muc1 and Snai1, with exacerbated local deposition of C5b-9. Our studies provide a rationale for rescuing fibrotic lungs via DAF induction that will restrain complement dysregulation and lung injury.

Defibrotide Therapy for SARS-CoV-2 ARDS.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS is associated with endothelial dysfunction and profound dysregulation of the thrombotic-fibrinolytic pathway. Defibrotide is a polyanionic compound with fibrinolytic, antithrombotic, and antiinflammatory properties. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the safety and tolerability of defibrotide in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We report a prospective, open-label, single-center safety trial of defibrotide for the management of SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS. Eligible participants were 18 years of age or older with clinical and radiographic signs of ARDS, no signs of active bleeding, a serum D-dimer of more than twice upper limit of normal, and positive polymerase chain reaction-based results for SARS-CoV-2. Defibrotide (6.25 mg/kg/dose IV q6h) was administered for a planned 7-day course, with serum D-dimer levels and respiratory function monitored daily during therapy. RESULTS: Twelve patients (median age, 63 years) were treated, with 10 patients receiving mechanical ventilation and 6 receiving vasopressor support at study entry. The median D-dimer was 3.25 µg/ml (range, 1.33-12.3) at study entry. The median duration of therapy was 7 days. No hemorrhagic or thrombotic complications occurred during therapy. No other adverse events attributable to defibrotide were noted. Four patients met the day 7 pulmonary response parameter, all four showing a decrease in serum D-dimer levels within the initial 72 h of defibrotide therapy. Three patients died of progressive pulmonary disease 11, 17, and 34 days after study entry. Nine patients (75%) remain alive 64 to 174 days after initiation of defibrotide. Day 30 all-cause mortality was 17% (95% CI, 0%-35%). All patients with a baseline Pao2 to Fio2 ratio of ≥ 125 mm Hg survived, whereas the three patients with a baseline Pao2 to Fio2 ratio of < 125 mm Hg died. INTERPRETATION: The use of defibrotide for management of SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS proved safe and tolerable. No hemorrhagic or thrombotic complications were reported during therapy, with promising outcomes in a patient population with a historically high mortality rate. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT04530604; URL: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov.

Quantitative CT Correlates with Local Inflammation in Lung of Patients with Subtypes of Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction.

Chronic rejection of lung allografts has two major subtypes, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), which present radiologically either as air trapping with small airways disease or with persistent pleuroparenchymal opacities. Parametric response mapping (PRM), a computed tomography (CT) methodology, has been demonstrated as an objective readout of BOS and RAS and bears prognostic importance, but has yet to be correlated to biological measures. Using a topological technique, we evaluate the distribution and arrangement of PRM-derived classifications of pulmonary abnormalities from lung transplant recipients undergoing redo-transplantation for end-stage BOS (N = 6) or RAS (N = 6). Topological metrics were determined from each PRM classification and compared to structural and biological markers determined from microCT and histopathology of lung core samples. Whole-lung measurements of PRM-defined functional small airways disease (fSAD), which serves as a readout of BOS, were significantly elevated in BOS versus RAS patients (p = 0.01). At the core-level, PRM-defined parenchymal disease, a potential readout of RAS, was found to correlate to neutrophil and collagen I levels (p < 0.05). We demonstrate the relationship of structural and biological markers to the CT-based distribution and arrangement of PRM-derived readouts of BOS and RAS.

Sustained Club Cell Injury in Mice Induces Histopathologic Features of Deployment-Related Constrictive Bronchiolitis.

Histopathologic evidence of deployment-related constrictive bronchiolitis (DRCB) has been identified in soldiers deployed to Southwest Asia. While inhalational injury to the airway epithelium is suspected, relatively little is known about the pathogenesis underlying this disabling disorder. Club cells are local progenitors critical for repairing the airway epithelium after exposure to various airborne toxins, and a prior study using an inducible transgenic murine model reported that 10 days of sustained targeted club cell injury causes constrictive bronchiolitis. To further understand the mechanisms leading to small airway fibrosis, a murine model was employed to show that sustained club cell injury elicited acute weight loss, caused increased local production of proinflammatory cytokines, and promoted accumulation of numerous myeloid cell subsets in the lung. Transition to a chronic phase was characterized by up-regulated expression of oxidative stress-associated genes, increased activation of transforming growth factor-ß, accumulation of alternatively activated macrophages, and enhanced peribronchiolar collagen deposition. Comparative histopathologic analysis demonstrated that sustained club cell injury was sufficient to induce epithelial metaplasia, airway wall thickening, peribronchiolar infiltrates, and clusters of intraluminal airway macrophages that recapitulated key abnormalities observed in DRCB. Depletion of alveolar macrophages in mice decreased activation of transforming growth factor-ß and ameliorated constrictive bronchiolitis. Collectively, these findings implicate sustained club cell injury in the development of DRCB and delineate pathways that may yield biomarkers and treatment targets for this disorder.

Transcription factor FOXF1 identifies compartmentally distinct mesenchymal cells with a role in lung allograft fibrogenesis.

In this study, we demonstrate that forkhead box F1 (FOXF1), a mesenchymal transcriptional factor essential for lung development, was retained in a topographically distinct mesenchymal stromal cell population along the bronchovascular space in an adult lung and identify this distinct subset of collagen-expressing cells as key players in lung allograft remodeling and fibrosis. Using Foxf1-tdTomato BAC (Foxf1-tdTomato) and Foxf1-tdTomato Col1a1-GFP mice, we show that Lin-Foxf1+ cells encompassed the stem cell antigen 1+CD34+ (Sca1+CD34+) subset of collagen 1-expressing mesenchymal cells (MCs) with a capacity to generate CFU and lung epithelial organoids. Histologically, FOXF1-expressing MCs formed a 3D network along the conducting airways; FOXF1 was noted to be conspicuously absent in MCs in the alveolar compartment. Bulk and single-cell RNA-Seq confirmed distinct transcriptional signatures of Foxf1+ and Foxf1- MCs, with Foxf1-expressing cells delineated by their high expression of the transcription factor glioma-associated oncogene 1 (Gli1) and low expression of integrin α8 (Itga), versus other collagen-expressing MCs. FOXF1+Gli1+ MCs showed proximity to Sonic hedgehog-expressing (Shh-expressing) bronchial epithelium, and mesenchymal expression of Foxf1 and Gli1 was found to be dependent on paracrine Shh signaling in epithelial organoids. Using a murine lung transplant model, we show dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal SHH/GLI1/FOXF1 crosstalk and expansion of this specific peribronchial MC population in chronically rejecting fibrotic lung allografts.

Radiographic Graft Surveillance in Lung Transplantation: Prognostic Role of Parametric Response Mapping.

Rationale: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) results in significant morbidity after lung transplantation. Potential CLAD occurs when lung function declines to 80-90% of baseline. Better noninvasive tools to prognosticate at potential CLAD are needed. Objectives: To determine whether parametric response mapping (PRM), a computed tomography (CT) voxel-wise methodology applied to high-resolution CT scans, can identify patients at risk of progression to CLAD or death. Methods: Radiographic features and PRM-based CT metrics quantifying functional small airway disease (PRMfSAD) and parenchymal disease (PRMPD) were studied at potential CLAD (n = 61). High PRMfSAD and high PRMPD were defined as ⩾30%. Restricted mean modeling was performed to compare CLAD-free survival among groups. Measurements and Main Results: PRM metrics identified the following three unique signatures: high PRMfSAD (11.5%), high PRMPD (41%), and neither (PRMNormal; 47.5%). Patients with high PRMfSAD or PRMPD had shorter CLAD-free median survival times (0.46 yr and 0.50 yr) compared with patients with predominantly PRMNormal (2.03 yr; P = 0.004 and P = 0.007 compared with PRMfSAD and PRMPD groups, respectively). In multivariate modeling adjusting for single- versus double-lung transplant, age at transplant, body mass index at potential CLAD, and time from transplant to CT scan, PRMfSAD ⩾30% or PRMPD ⩾30% continue to be statistically significant predictors of shorter CLAD-free survival. Air trapping by radiologist interpretation was common (66%), was similar across PRM groups, and was not predictive of CLAD-free survival. Ground-glass opacities by radiologist read occurred in 16% of cases and were associated with decreased CLAD-free survival (P < 0.001). Conclusions: PRM analysis offers valuable prognostic information at potential CLAD, identifying patients most at risk of developing CLAD or death.

Risk of primary graft dysfunction following lung transplantation in selected adults with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported similarities in long-term outcomes following lung transplantation for connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, it is unknown whether CTD-ILD patients are at increased risk of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), delays in extubation, or longer index hospitalizations following transplant compared to IPF patients. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of CTD-ILD and IPF patients enrolled in the Lung Transplant Outcomes Group registry who underwent lung transplantation between 2012 and 2018. We utilized mixed effects logistic regression and stratified Cox proportional hazards regression to determine whether CTD-ILD was independently associated with increased risk for grade 3 PGD or delays in post-transplant extubation and hospital discharge compared to IPF. RESULTS: A total of 32.7% (33/101) of patients with CTD-ILD and 28.9% (145/501) of patients with IPF developed grade 3 PGD 48-72 hours after transplant. There were no significant differences in odds of grade 3 PGD among patients with CTD-ILD compared to those with IPF (adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.64-1.97, p = 0.69), nor was CTD-ILD independently associated with a longer post-transplant time to extubation (adjusted HR for first extubation 0.87, 95% CI 0.66-1.13, p = 0.30). However, CTD-ILD was independently associated with a longer post-transplant hospital length of stay (median 23 days [IQR 14-35 days] vs17 days [IQR 12-28 days], adjusted HR for hospital discharge 0.68, 95% CI 0.51-0.90, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Patients with CTD-ILD experienced significantly longer postoperative hospitalizations compared to IPF patients without an increased risk of grade 3 PGD.

Lung microbiota predict chronic rejection in healthy lung transplant recipients: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the respiratory microbiome are common in chronic lung diseases, correlate with decreased lung function, and have been associated with disease progression. The clinical significance of changes in the respiratory microbiome after lung transplant, specifically those related to development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lung microbiome characteristics in healthy lung transplant recipients on subsequent CLAD-free survival. METHODS: We prospectively studied a cohort of lung transplant recipients at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA). We analysed characteristics of the respiratory microbiome in acellular bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from asymptomatic patients during per-protocol surveillance bronchoscopy 1 year after lung transplantation. For our primary endpoint, we evaluated a composite of development of CLAD or death at 500 days after the 1-year surveillance bronchoscopy. Our primary microbiome predictor variables were bacterial DNA burden (total 16S rRNA gene copies per mL of BALF, quantified via droplet digital PCR) and bacterial community composition (determined by bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing). Patients' lung function was followed serially at least every 3 months by spirometry, and CLAD was diagnosed according to International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2019 guidelines. FINDINGS: We analysed BALF from 134 patients, collected during 1-year post-transplant surveillance bronchoscopy between Oct 21, 2005, and Aug 25, 2017. Within 500 days of follow-up from the time of BALF sampling, 24 (18%) patients developed CLAD, five (4%) died before confirmed development of CLAD, and 105 (78%) patients remained CLAD-free with complete follow-up. Lung bacterial burden was predictive of CLAD development or death within 500 days of the surveillance bronchoscopy, after controlling for demographic and clinical factors, including immunosuppression and bacterial culture results, in a multivariable survival model. This relationship was evident when burden was analysed as a continuous variable (per log10 increase in burden, HR 2·49 [95% CI 1·38-4·48], p=0·0024) or by tertiles (middle vs lowest bacterial burden tertile, HR 4·94 [1·25-19·42], p=0·022; and highest vs lowest, HR 10·56 [2·53-44·08], p=0·0012). In patients who developed CLAD or died, composition of the lung bacterial community significantly differed to that in patients who survived and remained CLAD-free (on permutational multivariate analysis of variance, p=0·047 at the taxonomic level of family), although differences in community composition were associated with bacterial burden. No individual bacterial taxa were definitively associated with CLAD development or death. INTERPRETATION: Among asymptomatic lung transplant recipients at 1-year post-transplant, increased lung bacterial burden is predictive of chronic rejection and death. The lung microbiome represents an understudied and potentially modifiable risk factor for lung allograft dysfunction. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Brian and Mary Campbell and Elizabeth Campbell Carr research gift fund.

Interleukin 6 trans-signaling is a critical driver of lung allograft fibrosis.

Histopathologic examination of lungs afflicted by chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) consistently shows both mononuclear cell (MNC) inflammation and mesenchymal cell (MC) fibroproliferation. We hypothesize that interleukin 6 (IL-6) trans-signaling may be a critical mediator of MNC-MC crosstalk and necessary for the pathogenesis of CLAD. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid obtained after the diagnosis of CLAD has approximately twofold higher IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) levels compared to matched pre-CLAD samples. Human BAL-derived MCs do not respond to treatment with IL-6 alone but have rapid and prolonged JAK2-mediated STAT3 Tyr705 phosphorylation when exposed to the combination of IL-6 and sIL-6R. STAT3 phosphorylation within MCs upregulates numerous genes causing increased invasion and fibrotic differentiation. MNC, a key source of both IL-6 and sIL-6R, produce minimal amounts of these proteins at baseline but significantly upregulate production when cocultured with MCs. Finally, the use of an IL-6 deficient recipient in a murine orthotopic transplant model of CLAD reduces allograft fibrosis by over 50%. Taken together these results support a mechanism where infiltrating MNCs are stimulated by resident MCs to release large quantities of IL-6 and sIL-6R which then feedback onto the MCs to increase invasion and fibrotic differentiation.

Humoral immune responses mediate the development of a restrictive phenotype of chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

Understanding the distinct pathogenic mechanisms that culminate in allograft fibrosis and chronic graft failure is key in improving outcomes after solid organ transplantation. Here, we describe an F1 → parent orthotopic lung transplant model of restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), a particularly fulminant form of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), and identify a requisite pathogenic role for humoral immune responses in development of RAS. B6D2F1/J (H2-b/d) donor lungs transplanted into the parent C57BL/6J (H2-b) recipients demonstrated a spectrum of histopathologic changes, ranging from lymphocytic infiltration, fibrinous exudates, and endothelialitis to peribronchial and pleuroparenchymal fibrosis, similar to those noted in the human RAS lungs. Gene expression profiling revealed differential humoral immune cell activation as a key feature of the RAS murine model, with significant B cell and plasma cell infiltration noted in the RAS lung allografts. B6D2F1/J lung allografts transplanted into µMt-/- (mature B cell deficient) or activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)/secretory µ-chain (µs) double-KO (AID-/-µs-/-) C57BL/6J mice demonstrated significantly decreased allograft fibrosis, indicating a key role for antibody secretion by B cells in mediating RAS pathology. Our study suggests that skewing of immune responses determines the diverse allograft remodeling patterns and highlights the need to develop targeted therapies for specific CLAD phenotypes.

Loss of FOXF1 expression promotes human lung-resident mesenchymal stromal cell migration via ATX/LPA/LPA1 signaling axis.

Forkhead box F1 (FOXF1) is a lung embryonic mesenchyme-associated transcription factor that demonstrates persistent expression into adulthood in mesenchymal stromal cells. However, its biologic function in human adult lung-resident mesenchymal stromal cells (LR-MSCs) remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that FOXF1 expression acts as a restraint on the migratory function of LR-MSCs via its role as a novel transcriptional repressor of autocrine motility-stimulating factor Autotaxin (ATX). Fibrotic human LR-MSCs demonstrated lower expression of FOXF1 mRNA and protein, compared to non-fibrotic controls. RNAi-mediated FOXF1 silencing in LR-MSCs was associated with upregulation of key genes regulating proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses and significantly higher migration were confirmed in FOXF1-silenced LR-MSCs by Boyden chamber. ATX is a secreted lysophospholipase D largely responsible for extracellular lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) production, and was among the top ten upregulated genes upon Affymetrix analysis. FOXF1-silenced LR-MSCs demonstrated increased ATX activity, while mFoxf1 overexpression diminished ATX expression and activity. The FOXF1 silencing-induced increase in LR-MSC migration was abrogated by genetic and pharmacologic targeting of ATX and LPA1 receptor. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses identified three putative FOXF1 binding sites in the 1.5 kb ATX promoter which demonstrated transcriptional repression of ATX expression. Together these findings identify FOXF1 as a novel transcriptional repressor of ATX and demonstrate that loss of FOXF1 promotes LR-MSC migration via the ATX/LPA/LPA1 signaling axis.

Identification of a unique temporal signature in blood and BAL associated with IPF progression.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and heterogeneous interstitial lung disease of unknown origin with a low survival rate. There are few treatment options available due to the fact that mechanisms underlying disease progression are not well understood, likely because they arise from dysregulation of complex signaling networks spanning multiple tissue compartments. To better characterize these networks, we used systems-focused data-driven modeling approaches to identify cross-tissue compartment (blood and bronchoalveolar lavage) and temporal proteomic signatures that differentiated IPF progressors and non-progressors. Partial least squares discriminant analysis identified a signature of 54 baseline (week 0) blood and lung proteins that differentiated IPF progression status by the end of 80 weeks of follow-up with 100% cross-validation accuracy. Overall we observed heterogeneous protein expression patterns in progressors compared to more homogenous signatures in non-progressors, and found that non-progressors were enriched for proteomic processes involving regulation of the immune/defense response. We also identified a temporal signature of blood proteins that was significantly different at early and late progressor time points (p < 0.0001), but not present in non-progressors. Overall, this approach can be used to generate new hypothesis for mechanisms associated with IPF progression and could readily be translated to other complex and heterogeneous diseases.