Cigarette smoke-induced Ca2+ release leads to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects 64 million people and is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and in the case of chronic bronchitis represents an inflammatory response of the airways that is associated with mucus hypersecretion and obstruction of small airways. Recently, it has emerged that exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) leads to an inhibition of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channel, causing airway surface liquid dehydration, which may play a role in the development of chronic bronchitis. CS rapidly clears CFTR from the plasma membrane and causes it to be deposited into aggresome-like compartments. However, little is known about the mechanism(s) responsible for the internalization of CFTR following CS exposure. Our studies revealed that CS triggered a rise in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) that may have emanated from lysosomes. Furthermore, chelation of cytoplasmic Ca(2+), but not inhibition of protein kinases/phosphatases, prevented CS-induced CFTR internalization. The macrolide antibiotic bafilomycin A1 inhibited CS-induced Ca(2+) release and prevented CFTR clearance from the plasma membrane, further linking cytoplasmic Ca(2+) and CFTR internalization. We hypothesize that CS-induced Ca(2+) release prevents normal sorting/degradation of CFTR and causes internalized CFTR to reroute to aggresomes. Our data provide mechanistic insight into the potentially deleterious effects of CS on airway epithelia and outline a hitherto unrecognized signaling event triggered by CS that may affect the long term transition of the lung into a hyper-inflammatory/dehydrated environment.

Nonantibiotic macrolides prevent human neutrophil elastase-induced mucus stasis and airway surface liquid volume depletion.

Mucus clearance is an important component of the lung's innate defense system. A failure of this system brought on by mucus dehydration is common to both cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mucus clearance rates are regulated by the volume of airway surface liquid (ASL) and by ciliary beat frequency (CBF). Chronic treatment with macrolide antibiotics is known to be beneficial to both CF and COPD patients. However, chronic macrolide usage may induce bacterial resistance. We have developed a novel macrolide, 2'-desoxy-9-(S)-erythromycylamine (GS-459755), that has significantly diminished antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Since neutrophilia frequently occurs in chronic lung disease and human neutrophil elastase (HNE) induces mucus stasis by activating the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), we tested the ability of GS-459755 to protect against HNE-induced mucus stasis. GS-459755 had no effect on HNE activity. However, GS-459755 pretreatment protected against HNE-induced ASL volume depletion in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). The effect of GS-459755 on ASL volume was dose dependent (IC50 ~3.9 µM) and comparable to the antibacterial macrolide azithromycin (IC50 ~2.4 µM). Macrolides had no significant effect on CBF or on transepithelial water permeability. However, the amiloride-sensitive transepithelial voltage, a marker of ENaC activity, was diminished by macrolide pretreatment. We conclude that GS-459755 may limit HNE-induced activation of ENaC and may be useful for the treatment of mucus dehydration in CF and COPD without inducing bacterial resistance.

Cigarette smoke exposure induces CFTR internalization and insolubility, leading to airway surface liquid dehydration.

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure induces mucus obstruction and the development of chronic bronchitis (CB). While many of these responses are determined genetically, little is known about the effects CS can exert on pulmonary epithelia at the protein level. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that CS exerts direct effects on the CFTR protein, which could impair airway hydration, leading to the mucus stasis characteristic of both cystic fibrosis and CB. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that CS rapidly decreased CFTR activity, leading to airway surface liquid (ASL) volume depletion (i.e., dehydration). Further studies revealed that CS induced internalization of CFTR. Surprisingly, CS-internalized CFTR did not colocalize with lysosomal proteins. Instead, the bulk of CFTR shifted to a detergent-resistant fraction within the cell and colocalized with the intermediate filament vimentin, suggesting that CS induced CFTR movement into an aggresome-like, perinuclear compartment. To test whether airway dehydration could be reversed, we used hypertonic saline (HS) as an osmolyte to rehydrate ASL. HS restored ASL height in CS-exposed, dehydrated airway cultures. Similarly, inhaled HS restored mucus transport and increased clearance in patients with CB. Thus, we propose that CS exposure rapidly impairs CFTR function by internalizing CFTR, leading to ASL dehydration, which promotes mucus stasis and a failure of mucus clearance, leaving smokers at risk for developing CB. Furthermore, our data suggest that strategies to rehydrate airway surfaces may provide a novel form of therapy for patients with CB.

TGFbeta3 and loading increases osteocyte survival in human cancellous bone cultured ex vivo.

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of the addition of TGFbeta(3), alone or in combination with loading, on the survival of osteocytes in 3D human explant cancellous bone during long-term culture in an ex vivo loading bioreactor. Human cancellous bone explants were cultured for up to 14 days with or without TGFbeta(3) (15 ng ml(-1)) and with or without loading (300 cycles, at 1 Hz, producing 4000 microstrain). Bone core response was visualized using undecalcified histology with morphological methods after embedding with Technovit 9100 New resin. Histological examination revealed normal gross level bone structure with or without the application of load or the addition of TGFbeta(3). The viability of the osteocytes within the bone was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. We demonstrate that this ex vivo loading bioreactor is able to maintain a high percentage (over 50%) of viable osteocytes throughout the bone explants after 14 days in ex vivo culture. Further to this, the combination of daily loading and TGFbeta(3) administration produced superior osteocyte survival at the core centres when compared to loading or TGFbeta alone.

Oxidative DNA damage in osteoarthritic porcine articular cartilage.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with increased levels of reactive oxygen species. This study investigated if increased oxidative DNA damage accumulates in OA articular cartilage compared with non-OA articular cartilage from pigs with spontaneous OA. Additionally, the ability of nitric oxide (NO) or peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) induced DNA damage in non-OA chondrocytes to undergo endogenous repair was investigated. Porcine femoral condyles were graded for the stage of OA, macroscopically by the Collins Scale, and histologically by the modified Mankin Grade. Levels of DNA damage were determined in non-OA and OA cartilage, using the comet assay. For calibration, DNA damage was measured by exposing non-OA chondrocytes to 0-12 Gray (Gy) of X-ray irradiation. Non-OA articular chondrocytes were treated with 0-500 microM of NO donors (NOC-18 or SIN-1), and DNA damage assessed after treatment and 5 days recovery. A significant increase (P < 0.01) in oxidative DNA damage occurred in OA chondrocytes in joints with Mankin Grades 3 or greater, compared to non-OA chondrocytes. The percentage of nuclei containing DNA damage increased significantly (P < 0.001) from early to late grades of OA. An increase of approximately 0.65-1.7 breaks/1,000 kb of DNA occurred in OA, compared to non-OA nuclei. NOC-18 or SIN-1 caused significant DNA damage (P < 0.001) in non-OA chondrocytes that did not undergo full endogenous repair after 5 days (P < 0.05). Our data suggest significant levels of oxidative DNA damage occur in OA chondrocytes that accumulates with OA progression. Additionally, DNA damage induced by NO and ONOO(-) in non-OA chondrocytes does not undergo full endogenous repair.