Overexpression of cathepsin K in mice decreases collagen deposition and lung resistance in response to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lung fibrosis is a devastating pulmonary disorder characterized by alveolar epithelial injury, extracellular matrix deposition and scar tissue formation. Due to its potent collagenolytic activity, cathepsin K, a lysosomal cysteine protease is an interesting target molecule with therapeutic potential to attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. We here tested the hypothesis that over-expression of cathepsin K in the lungs of mice is protective in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Wild-type and cathepsin K overexpressing (cathepsin K transgenic; cath K tg) mice were challenged intratracheally with bleomycin and sacrificed at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-treatment followed by determination of lung fibrosis by estimating lung collagen content, lung histopathology, leukocytic infiltrates and lung function. In addition, changes in cathepsin K protein levels in the lung were determined by immunohistochemistry, real time RT-PCR and western blotting.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cathepsin K protein levels were strongly increased in alveolar macrophages and lung parenchymal tissue of mock-treated cathepsin K transgenic (cath K tg) mice relative to wild-type mice and further increased particularly in cath K tg but also wild-type mice in response to bleomycin. Moreover, cath K tg mice responded with a lower collagen deposition in their lungs, which was accompanied by a significantly lower lung resistance (R_L) compared to bleomycin-treated wild-type mice. In addition, cath K tg mice responded with a lower degree of lung fibrosis than wild-type mice, a process that was found to be independent of inflammatory leukocyte mobilization in response to bleomycin challenge.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Over-expression of cathepsin K reduced lung collagen deposition and improved lung function parameters in the lungs of transgenic mice, thereby providing at least partial protection against bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis.</p

A novel role of MMP-13 for murine DC function: Its inhibition dampens T cell activation.

Dendritic cells (DC) have been shown to express Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), but little is known about its specific function in DCs and its role in inflammatory conditions. In the present study, we describe a novel role of MMP-13 in regulating the immunostimulatory function of murine DCs through moderating MHC-I surface presentation, endocytosis, and cytokine/chemokine secretion. MMP-13 expression was confirmed in bone marrow-derived DCs at mRNA and protein level and, furthermore, on activity level. Remarkably, LPS treatment strongly enhanced MMP-13 mRNA expression as well as MMP-13 activity, indicating an important role of MMP-13 in inflammatory processes. Functionally, MMP-13 inhibition did not influence DC migratory capacity, while endocytosis of OVA was significantly decreased. Inhibition of MMP-13 lowered the capability of murine DCs to activate CD8(+) T cells, apparently through reducing MHC-I surface presentation. Decreased surface expression of CD11c on DCs, as well as changes in the DC cytokine/chemokine profile after MMP-13 inhibition, emphasize the influence of MMP-13 on DC function. Moreover, T cell targeting cytokines such as IL-12, IL-23, and IL-6 were significantly reduced. Collectively, our data reveal a novel involvement of MMP-13 in regulating DC immunobiology through moderating MHC-I surface presentation, endocytosis, and cytokine/chemokine secretion. Furthermore, the reduced MHC-I surface presentation by DCs resulted in a poor CD8(+) T cell response in vitro. This novel finding indicates that MMP-13 might be a promising target for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory diseases

Stability of cryopreserved samples of mutant mice.

Genetically modified animals are unique models with enormous scientific potential. Cryopreservation of pre-implantation embryos or of spermatozoa is a common approach to save those lines. The breeding of a line can be discontinued if a sufficient number of samples have been cryopreserved. To maintain the opportunity to recover a line, it is mandatory to assess the quality of the cryopreserved samples and to assure safe long-term storage conditions. Here, we investigated the revitalization rate of cryopreserved pre-implantation embryos stored in-house up to 158 months, of imported (and shipped) embryos, and of embryos received after in vitro fertilization. The storage period did not affect the revitalization rate, whereas the recovery of imported embryos was significantly reduced, possibly due to shipment conditions. The genotypes of genetically modified pups received following embryo-transfer were slightly smaller than expected by Mendelian laws. Intensive investigations of the hygienic state of the cryopreserved samples and the equipment used never showed microbiological contamination of a sample within a cryo-tube. However, environmental organisms were found frequently in the permanent freezers and dry shippers used. Since such contamination cannot be completely excluded and an embryo-transfer might not lead in all cases to a secure rederivation, foster mothers and revitalized pups should be housed in an intermediate facility and their health assessed before introducing them into the target facility

Transcriptome profiling of primary murine monocytes, lung macrophages and lung dendritic cells reveals a distinct expression of genes involved in cell trafficking

Abstract Background Peripheral blood monocytes (PBMo) originate from the bone marrow, circulate in the blood and emigrate into various organs where they differentiate into tissue resident cellular phenotypes of the mononuclear phagocyte system, including macrophages (Mϕ) and dendritic cells (DC). Like in other organs, this emigration and differentiation process is essential to replenish the mononuclear phagocyte pool in the lung under both inflammatory and non-inflammatory steady-state conditions. While many studies have addressed inflammation-driven monocyte trafficking to the lung, the emigration and pulmonary differentiation of PBMo under non-inflammatory conditions is much less understood. Methods In order to assess the transcriptional profile of circulating and lung resident mononuclear phagocyte phenotypes, PBMo, lung Mϕ and lung DC from naïve mice were flow-sorted to high purity, and their gene expression was compared by DNA microarrays on a genome-wide scale. Differential regulation of selected genes was validated by quantitative PCR and on protein level by flow cytometry. Results Differentially-expressed genes related to cell traffic were selected and grouped into the clusters (i) matrix metallopeptidases, (ii) chemokines/chemokine receptors, and (iii) integrins. Expression profiles of clustered genes were further assessed at the mRNA and protein levels in subsets of circulating PBMo (GR1- vs GR1+) and lung resident macrophages (alveolar vs interstitial Mϕ). Our data identify differentially activated genetic programs in circulating monocytes and their lung descendents. Lung DC activate an extremely diverse set of gene families but largely preserve a mobile cell profile with high expression levels of integrin and chemokine/chemokine receptors. In contrast, interstitial and even more pronounced alveolar Mϕ, stepwise downregulate gene expression of these traffic relevant communication molecules, but strongly upregulate a distinct set of matrix metallopetidases potentially involved in tissue invasion and remodeling. Conclusion Our data provide new insight in the changes of the genetic profiles of PBMo and their lung descendents, namely DC and Mϕ under non-inflammatory, steady-state conditions. These findings will help to better understand the complex relations within the mononuclear phagocyte pool of the lung.</p