Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation in Pulmonary Alveolar Epithelial Cells Limits Inflammation and Preserves Lung Epithelial Cell Integrity.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a receptor/transcription factor widely expressed in the lung. The physiological roles of AHR expressed in the alveolar epithelium remain unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that alveolar epithelial AHR activity plays an important role in modulating inflammatory responses and maintaining alveolar integrity during lung injury and repair. AHR is expressed in alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) and is active. AHR activation with the endogenous AHR ligand, FICZ (5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b] carbazole-6-carboxaldehyde), significantly suppressed inflammatory cytokine expression in response to inflammatory stimuli in primary murine AECs and in the MLE-15 epithelial cell line. In an LPS model of acute lung injury in mice, coadministration of FICZ with LPS suppressed protein leak, reduced neutrophil accumulation in BAL fluid, and suppressed inflammatory cytokine expression in lung tissue and BAL fluid. Relevant to healing following inflammatory injury, AHR activation suppressed TGF-ß-induced expression of genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Knockdown of AHR in primary AECs with shRNA or in CRISPR-Cas-9-induced MLE-15 cells resulted in upregulation of α-smooth muscle actin (αSma), Col1a1, and Fn1 and reduced expression of epithelial genes Col4a1 and Sdc1. MLE-15 clones lacking AHR demonstrated accelerated wound closure in a scratch model. AHR activation with FICZ enhanced barrier function (transepithelial electrical resistance) in primary murine AECs and limited decline of transepithelial electrical resistance following inflammatory injury. AHR activation in AECs preserves alveolar integrity by modulating inflammatory cytokine expression while enhancing barrier function and limiting stress-induced expression of mesenchymal genes.

The Cytochrome P450 2C8*3 Variant (rs11572080) Is Associated with Improved Asthma Symptom Control in Children and Altered Lipid Mediator Production and Inflammatory Response in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells.

This study investigated an association between the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8*3 polymorphism with asthma symptom control in children and changes in lipid metabolism and pro-inflammatory signaling by human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) treated with cigarette smoke condensate (CSC). CYP genes are inherently variable in sequence, and while such variations are known to produce clinically relevant effects on drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the effects on endogenous substrate metabolism and associated physiologic processes are less understood. In this study, CYP2C8*3 was associated with improved asthma symptom control among children: Mean asthma control scores were 3.68 (n = 207) for patients with one or more copies of the CYP2C8*3 allele versus 4.42 (n = 965) for CYP2C8*1/*1 (P = 0.0133). In vitro, CYP2C8*3 was associated with an increase in montelukast 36-hydroxylation and a decrease in linoleic acid metabolism despite lower mRNA and protein expression. Additionally, CYP2C8*3 was associated with reduced mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL-8) by HBECs in response to CSC, which was replicated using the soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, 12-[[(tricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]dec-1-ylamino)carbonyl]amino]-dodecanoic acid. Interestingly, 9(10)- and 12(13)- dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid, the hydrolyzed metabolites of 9(10)- and 12(13)- epoxyoctadecenoic acid, increased the expression of IL-6 and CXCL-8 mRNA by HBECs. This study reveals previously undocumented effects of the CYP2C8*3 variant on the response of HBECs to exogenous stimuli. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: These findings suggest a role for CYP2C8 in regulating the epoxyoctadecenoic acid:dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid ratio leading to a change in cellular inflammatory responses elicited by environmental stimuli that exacerbate asthma.

Impact of CYP3A5 Polymorphisms on Pediatric Asthma Outcomes.

Genetic variation among inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-metabolizing enzymes may affect asthma control, but evidence is limited. This study tested the hypothesis that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) would affect asthma outcomes. Patients aged 2-18 years with persistent asthma were recruited to use the electronic AsthmaTracker (e-AT), a self-monitoring tool that records weekly asthma control, medication use, and asthma outcomes. A subset of patients provided saliva samples for SNP analysis and participated in a pharmacokinetic study. Multivariable regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, race, and ethnicity was used to evaluate the impact of CYP3A5 SNPs on asthma outcomes, including asthma control (measured using the asthma symptom tracker, a modified version of the asthma control test or ACT), exacerbations, and hospital admissions. Plasma corticosteroid and cortisol concentrations post-ICS dosing were also assayed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Of the 751 patients using the e-AT, 166 (22.1%) provided saliva samples and 16 completed the PK study. The e-AT cohort was 65.1% male, and 89.6% White, 6.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.2% Black, 1.2% Native American, 1.8% of unknown race, and 15.7% Hispanic/Latino; the median age was 8.35 (IQR: 5.51-11.3) years. CYP3A5*3/*3 frequency was 75.8% in White subjects, 50% in Native Hawaiians and 76.9% in Hispanic/Latino subjects. Compared with CYP3A5*3/*3, the CYP3A5*1/*x genotype was associated with reduced weekly asthma control (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.98; p < 0.001), increased exacerbations (OR: 6.43; 95% CI: 4.56-9.07; p < 0.001), and increased asthma hospitalizations (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.43-1.93; p < 0.001); analysis of 3/*3, *1/*1 and *1/*3 separately showed an allelic copy effect. Finally, PK analysis post-ICS dosing suggested muted changes in cortisol concentrations for patients with the CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype, as opposed to an effect on ICS PK. Detection of CYP3A5*3/3, CYPA35*1/*3, and CYP3A5*1/*1 could impact inhaled steroid treatment strategies for asthma in the future.

A ropivacaine-eluting poly(lactide-co-caprolactone) wound dressing provided enhanced analgesia in partial-thickness porcine injuries.

BACKGROUND: Partial-thickness skin wounds are some of the most painful injuries due to large areas of exposed nerve endings. These injuries often require systemic opioid treatments to manage pain adequately. However, in 2021 alone, the CDC reported nearly 17,000 prescription opioid-related deaths in the USA, highlighting the ongoing need for non-opioid treatment strategies. In this manuscript, we developed a novel single-application ropivacaine-eluting primary wound dressing that could provide sustained ropivacaine delivery to partial-thickness wounds and assessed its in vivo feasibility for prolonged non-opioid analgesia. METHODS: Sustained release of ropivacaine from a poly(lactide-co-e-caprolactone) matrix was first optimized in vitro using dissolution testing and a Box Behnken design of experiments. The optimized dressing was then tested against a clinical control silicone dressing in a porcine partial-thickness wound study to assess analgesic effect, pharmacokinetics, and wound healing. RESULTS: The ropivacaine-eluting dressing showed a moderate analgesic effect in vivo, where normalized single pinprick scores significantly improved pain over the testing period (4-168h) (control vs treatment: 232±25% vs 145±16%, p<0.0003). Ropivacaine blood plasma levels peaked at 8 hours post-treatment, with a maximum concentration of 246 ± 74 ng/mL. No significant differences in wound healing were found when compared to control. CONCLUSION: The ropivacaine-loaded poly(lactide-co-e-caprolactone)-based wound dressing provided sustained delivery of ropivacaine to partial-thickness skin wounds and enhanced analgesic effect compared to a clinical standard control dressing.

Pro-Inflammatory Effects of Inhaled Great Salt Lake Dust Particles.

Background: Climatological shifts and human activities have decimated lakes worldwide. Water in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA is at near record lows which has increased risks for exposure to windblown dust from dried lakebed sediments. Formal studies evaluating the health effects of inhaled Great Salt Lake dust (GSLD) have not been performed despite the belief that the dust is harmful. The objectives of this study were to illustrate windblown dust events, assess the impact of inhaled dust on the lungs, and to identify mechanisms that could contribute to the effects of GSLD in the lungs. Results: An animation, hourly particle and meteorological data, and images illustrate the impact of dust events on the Salt Lake Valley/Wasatch front airshed. Great Salt Lake sediment and PM2.5 contained metals, lipopolysaccharides, natural and anthropogenic chemicals, and bacteria. Inhalation and oropharyngeal delivery of PM2.5 triggered neutrophilia and the expression of mRNA for Il6, Cxcl1, Cxcl2, and Muc5ac in mouse lungs, was more potent than coal fly ash (CFA) PM2.5, and more cytotoxic to human airway epithelial cells (HBEC3-KT) in vitro. Induction of IL6 and IL8 was replicated in vitro using HBEC3-KT and THP-1 cells. For HBEC3-KT cells, IL6 induction was variably attenuated by EGTA/ruthenium red, the TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242, and deferoxamine, while IL8 was attenuated by EGTA/ruthenium red. Inhibition of mRNA induction by EGTA/ruthenium red suggested roles for transition metals, calcium, and calcium channels as mediators of the responses. Like CFA, GSLD and a similar dust from the Salton Sea in California, activated human TRPA1, M8, and V1. However, only inhibition of TRPV1, TRPV3, and a combination of both channels impacted cytokine mRNA induction in HBEC3-KT cells. Responses of THP1 cells were partially mediated by TLR4 as opposed to TRP channels and mice expressing a "humanized" form of TRPV1 exhibited greater neutrophilia when exposed to GSLD via inhalation. Conclusions: This study suggests that windblown dust from Great Salt Lake and similar lake sediments could pose a risk to humans via mechanisms including the activation of TRPV1/V3, TLR4, and possibly oxidative stress.