title: Stat3 is required for cytoprotection of the respiratory epithelium during adenoviral infection.
abstract: The role of Stat3 in the maintenance of pulmonary homeostasis following adenoviral-mediated lung injury was assessed in vivo. Stat3 was selectively deleted from bronchiolar and alveolar epithelial cells in Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice. Although lung histology and function were unaltered by deletion of Stat3 in vivo, Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice were highly susceptible to lung injury caused by intratracheal administration of AV1-GFP, an early (E) region 1- and E3-deleted, nonproliferative adenovirus. Severe airspace enlargement, loss of alveolar septae, and sloughing of the bronchiolar epithelium were observed in Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice as early as 1 day after exposure to the virus. Although surfactant protein A, B, and C content and surfactant protein-B mRNA expression in Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice were similar, TUNEL staining and caspase-3 were increased in alveolar type II epithelial cells of Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice after exposure to virus. RNA microarray analysis of type II epithelial cells isolated from Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice demonstrated significant changes in expression of numerous genes, including those genes regulating apoptosis, supporting the concept that the susceptibility of Stat3-deficient mice to adenovirus was related to the role of Stat3 in the regulation of cell survival. AV1-Bcl-x(L), an E1- and E3-deleted, nonproliferative adenovirus expressing the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-x(L), protected Stat3(DeltaDelta) mice from adenoviral-induced lung injury. Adenoviral infection of the lungs of Stat3-deficient mice was associated with severe injury of the alveolar and bronchiolar epithelium. Thus, Stat3 plays a critical cytoprotective role that is required for epithelial cell survival and maintenance of alveolar structures during the early phases of pulmonary adenoviral infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Machiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Besnard
authors.forename: Kwon-Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wert
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Whitsett
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000276:immunology*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases