Transforming growth factor-β signaling mediates hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling and inhibition of alveolar development in newborn mouse lung

Hypoxia causes abnormal neonatal pulmonary artery remodeling (PAR) and inhibition of alveolar development (IAD). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is an important regulator of lung development and repair from injury. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of TGF-β signaling attenuates hypoxia-induced PAR and IAD. Mice with an inducible dominant-negative mutation of the TGF-β type II receptor (DNTGFβRII) and nontransgenic wild-type (WT) mice were exposed to hypoxia (12% O2) or air from birth to 14 days of age. Expression of DNTGFβRII was induced by 20 μg/g ZnSO4 given intraperitoneally daily from birth. PAR, IAD, cell proliferation, and expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins were assessed. In WT mice, hypoxia led to thicker, more muscularized resistance pulmonary arteries and impaired alveolarization, accompanied by increases in active TGF-β and phosphorylated Smad2. Hypoxia-induced PAR and IAD were greatly attenuated in DNTGFβRII mice given ZnSO4 compared with WT control mice and DNTGFβRII mice not given ZnSO4. The stimulatory effects of hypoxic exposure on pulmonary arterial cell proliferation and lung ECM proteins were abrogated in DNTGFβRII mice given ZnSO4. These data support the conclusion that TGF-β plays an important role in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular adaptation and IAD in the newborn animal model

Loss of Thy-1 inhibits alveolar development in the newborn mouse lung

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β mediates hypoxia-induced inhibition of alveolar development in the newborn lung. TGF-β is regulated primarily at the level of activation of latent TGF-β. Fibroblasts expressing Thy-1 (CD90) inhibit TGF-β activation. We hypothesized that loss of Thy-1 due to hypoxia may be a mechanism by which hypoxia increases TGF-β activation and that animals deficient in Thy-1 will simulate the effects of hypoxia on lung development. To determine if loss of Thy-1 occurred during hypoxia, non-transgenic (C57BL/6) wild-type (WT) mice exposed to hypoxia were evaluated for Thy-1 mRNA and protein. To determine if Thy-1 deficiency simulated hypoxia, WT and Thy-1 null (Thy-1−/−) mice were exposed to air or hypoxia from birth to 2 wk, the critical period of lung development, and lung histology, function, parameters related to TGF-β signaling, and extracellular matrix protein content were measured. To test if the phenotype in Thy-1−/− mice was due to excessive TGF-β signaling, measurements were also performed in Thy-1−/− mice administered TGF-β neutralizing antibody (1D11). We observed that hypoxia reduced Thy-1 mRNA and Thy-1 staining in WT mice. Thy-1−/− mice had impaired alveolarization, increased TGF-β signaling, reduced lung epithelial and endothelial cell proliferation but increased fibroblast proliferation, and increased collagen and elastin. Lung compliance was lower, and tissue but not airway resistance was higher in Thy-1−/− mice at 2 wk. Thy-1−/− mice given 1D11 had improved alveolar development and lung function. These data support the hypothesis that hypoxia, by reducing Thy-1, increases TGF-β activation, and thereby inhibits normal alveolar development

Hypoxia-induced inhibition of lung development is attenuated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist rosiglitazone

Hypoxia enhances transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling, inhibiting alveolar development and causing abnormal pulmonary arterial remodeling in the newborn lung. We hypothesized that, during chronic hypoxia, reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) signaling may contribute to, or be caused by, excessive TGF-β signaling. To determine whether PPAR-γ was reduced during hypoxia, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to hypoxia from birth to 2 wk and evaluated for PPAR-γ mRNA and protein. To determine whether rosiglitazone (RGZ, a PPAR-γ agonist) supplementation attenuated the effects of hypoxia, mice were exposed to air or hypoxia from birth to 2 wk in combination with either RGZ or vehicle, and measurements of lung histology, function, parameters related to TGF-β signaling, and collagen content were made. To determine whether excessive TGF-β signaling reduced PPAR-γ, mice were exposed to air or hypoxia from birth to 2 wk in combination with either TGF-β-neutralizing antibody or vehicle, and PPAR-γ signaling was evaluated. We observed that hypoxia reduced PPAR-γ mRNA and protein, in association with impaired alveolarization, increased TGF-β signaling, reduced lung compliance, and increased collagen. RGZ increased PPAR-γ signaling, with improved lung development and compliance in association with reduced collagen and TGF-β signaling. However, no reduction was noted in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling. Inhibition of hypoxia-enhanced TGF-β signaling increased PPAR-γ signaling. These results suggest that hypoxia-induced inhibition of lung development is associated with a mutually antagonistic relationship between reduced PPAR-γ and increased TGF-β signaling. PPAR-γ agonists may be of potential therapeutic significance in attenuating TGF-β signaling and improving alveolar development