Platelet PI3K Modulates Innate Leukocyte Extravasation during Acid-Induced Acute Lung Inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: Blood platelets are increasingly recognized as modulators of leukocyte effector functions in various pathologies including acute lung injury (ALI). ALI is a life-threatening disease, caused by damage to the alveolar epi- and endothelium. Excessive accumulation of leukocytes leads to severe lung inflammation, resulting in impaired lung function and hypoxemia. OBJECTIVE: Since leukocyte migration is modulated by activated platelets and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling is involved in platelet function, we aimed to elucidate the effect of PI3K on platelet-mediated immune responses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We generated a mouse model with a platelet-specific deletion of p85α, the most important regulatory subunit of the class IA PI3K, and evaluated platelet function and platelet-leukocyte interactions. Moreover, we analyzed the impact of platelet-specific p85α gene deficiency during sterile peritonitis and acid-induced ALI. RESULTS: In vitro analyses of platelets revealed that lack of p85α led to decreased downstream signaling and diminished expression of surface activation markers, for example, CD62P and CD63, as well as reduced platelet aggregation. Moreover, platelet PI3K essentially mediated direct interactions of platelets with monocytes and neutrophils. In mice, platelet-specific p85α deficiency prevented leukocyte infiltration into the peritoneum and the bronchoalveolar compartment during sterile peritonitis and ALI, respectively. Additionally, the release of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-12/23 was diminished in platelet p85α-deficient mice during ALI. In contrast to PI3K, neither overexpression nor depletion of platelet phosphatase and tensin homolog, the endogenous antagonist of PI3K, significantly modulated platelet function. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate a crucial role of platelet PI3K signaling for leukocyte extravasation upon inflammatory stimuli in various diseases models.

Sustained PI3K Activation exacerbates BLM-induced Lung Fibrosis via activation of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic pathways.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a life-threatening disease with limited treatment options. Additionally, the lack of a complete understanding of underlying immunological mechanisms underscores the importance of discovering novel options for therapeutic intervention. Since the PI3K/PTEN pathway in myeloid cells influences their effector functions, we wanted to elucidate how sustained PI3K activity induced by cell-type specific genetic deficiency of its antagonist PTEN modulates IPF, in a murine model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (BIPF). We found that myeloid PTEN deficient mice (PTEN(MyKO)), after induction of BIPF, exhibit increased TGF-ß1 activation, mRNA expression of pro-collagens and lysyl oxidase as well as augmented collagen deposition compared to wild-type littermates, leading to enhanced morbidity and decreased survival. Analysis of alveolar lavage and lung cell composition revealed that PTEN(MyKO) mice exhibit reduced numbers of macrophages and T-cells in response to bleomycin, indicating an impaired recruitment function. Interestingly, we found dysregulated macrophage polarization as well as elevated expression and release of the pro-fibrotic cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in PTEN(MyKO) mice during BIPF. This might point to an uncontrolled wound healing response in which the inflammatory as well as tissue repair mechanisms proceed in parallel, thereby preventing resolution and at the same time promoting extensive fibrosis.