ABSTRACT
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory diseases frequently present with airway mucus hypersecretion, which not only affects the patient's quality of life but also poses a constant threat to their life expectancy. Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7), a deubiquitinating enzyme, affects cell differentiation, tissue growth, and disease development. However, its role in airway mucus hypersecretion induced by COPD remains elusive. In this study, USP7 expression was significantly upregulated in airway epithelial samples from patients with COPD, and USP7 was also overexpressed in mouse lung and human airway epithelial cells in models of airway mucus hypersecretion. Inhibition of USP7 reduced the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), phosphorylated-NF-κB (p-NF-κB), and phosphonated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (p-IκBα), and alleviated the airway mucus hypersecretion in vivo and in vitro. Further research revealed that USP7 stimulated airway mucus hypersecretion through the activation of NF-κB nuclear translocation. In addition, the expression of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) was suppressed by the NF-κB inhibitor erdosteine. These findings suggest that USP7 stimulates the NF-κB signaling pathway, which promotes airway mucus hypersecretion. This study identifies one of the mechanisms regulating airway mucus secretion and provides a new potential target for its prevention and treatment.