title: Dysregulation of lung injury and repair in moesin-deficient mice treated with intratracheal bleomycin.
abstract: Moesin belongs to the ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) protein family and participates in cellular functions, such as morphogenesis and motility, by cross-linking between the actin cytoskeleton and plasma membranes. Although moesin seems necessary for tissue construction and repair, its function at the whole body level remains elusive, perhaps because of redundancy among ERM proteins. To determine the role played by moesin in the modulation of pulmonary alveolar structure associated with lung injury and repair, we examined the morphological changes in the lung and the effect of bleomycin-induced lung injury and fibrosis in moesin-deficient (Msn(-/Y)) and control wild-type mice (Msn(+/Y)). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that moesin was specifically localized in the distal lung epithelium, where ezrin and radixin were faintly detectable in Msn(+/Y) mice. Compared with Msn(+/Y) mice, Msn(-/Y) mice displayed abnormalities of alveolar architecture and, when treated with bleomycin, developed more prominent lung injury and fibrosis and lower body weight and survival rate. Furthermore, Msn(-/Y) mice had abnormal cytokine and chemokine gene expression as shown by real-time PCR. This is the first report of a functional involvement of moesin in the regulation of lung inflammation and repair. Our observations show that moesin critically regulates the preservation of alveolar structure and lung homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Kyoto Prefectural Univ. of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Soshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Fumimasa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amaya
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Shojiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebina
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishizaka
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsukita
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin; C071058:moesin