title: Dexamethasone protects airway epithelial cell line NCI-H292 against lipopolysaccharide induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ER stress-mediated apoptosis were reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. In a recent study, it was reported that the ER stress pathway was activated in the lungs of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice. It was also found that the C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), an apoptosis-related molecule, played a key role in LPS-induced lung damage. The aim of this study was to verify whether LPS could activate the ER stress response in airway epithelial cells and which molecule was involved in the pathway. This study was also aimed at finding new reagents to protect the airway epithelial cells during LPS injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  ER stress markers were observed in LPS-incubated NCI-H292 cells. SiRNA-MUC5AC was transfected into NCI-H292 cells. The effects of dexamethasone and erythromycin were observed in LPS-induced NCI-H292 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LPS incubation increased the expression of ER stress markers at the protein and mRNA levels. The knockout of MUC5AC in cells attenuated the increase in ER stress markers after incubation with LPS. Dexamethasone and erythromycin decreased caspase-3 activity in LPS-induced NCI-H292 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPS may activate ER stress through the overexpression of MUC5AC. Dexamethasone may protect human airway epithelial cells against ER stress-related apoptosis by attenuating the overload of MUC5AC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiao-Peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D055271:Mucin 5AC / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D004917:Erythromycin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D053148:Caspase 3