title: The fibrotic phenotype induced by IGFBP-5 is regulated by MAPK activation and egr-1-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
abstract: We have previously shown that insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein- 5 (IGFBP-5) is overexpressed in lung fibrosis and induces the production of extracellular matrix components, such as collagen and fibronectin, both in vitro and in vivo. The exact mechanism by which IGFBP-5 exerts these novel fibrotic effects is unknown. We thus examined the signaling cascades that mediate IGFBP-5-induced fibrosis. We demonstrate for the first time that IGFBP-5 induction of extracellular matrix occurs independently of IGF-I, and results from IGFBP-5 activation of MAPK signaling, which facilitates the translocation of IGFBP-5 to the nucleus. We examined the effects of IGFBP-5 on early growth response (Egr)-1, a transcription factor that is central to growth factor-mediated fibrosis. Egr-1 was up-regulated by IGFBP-5 in a MAPK-dependent manner and bound to nuclear IGFBP-5. In fibroblasts from Egr-1 knockout mice, induction of fibronectin by IGFBP-5 was abolished. Expression of Egr-1 in these cells rescued the extracellular matrix-promoting effects of IGFBP-5. Moreover, IGFBP-5 induced cell migration in an Egr-1-dependent manner. Notably, Egr-1 levels, similar to IGFBP-5, were increased in vivo in lung tissues and in vitro in primary fibroblasts of patients with pulmonary idiopathic fibrosis. Taken together, our findings suggest that IGFBP-5 induces a fibrotic phenotype via the activation of MAPK signaling and the induction of nuclear Egr-1 that interacts with IGFBP-5 and promotes fibrotic gene transcription.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, NW 628 MUH, 3459 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Hidekata
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuoka
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ximena D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Steinman
authors.forename: Augustine M K
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Feghali-Bostwick
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D018975:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; C486109:Egr1 protein, mouse; D005353:Fibronectins; D018975:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases