Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists increase airway epithelial matrix metalloproteinase activity.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists may upregulate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and contribute to many airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Elucidation of the detailed molecular mechanisms regulating MMPs may provide the scientific basis for diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities to improve the care of various pulmonary diseases, especially those related to xenobiotic agents. In this study, we investigated the detailed mechanisms of how AhR agonists modulated the expressions and activities of MMPs in bronchial epithelial cells. Treating the cells (Beas-2B or HBE135-E6E7) with 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, we found these AhR agonists increased the expression and activity of MMP-1 via a noncanonical AhR pathway and increased the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in an MMP-1-dependent manner. AhR agonists increased the expression of MMP-1 via the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways by increased cytosolic calcium level and activated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). The activated MAPK pathways phosphorylated c-Jun, c-Fos, and ATF-2, resulting in their nuclear translocation and binding to the activator protein-1 (AP-1) elements of the MMP-1 promoter region. These findings correlated clinically to the significantly higher plasma/serum MMP-1 level in asthmatic patients. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated a novel signaling pathway by which AhR agonists elevated intracellular calcium levels, which activated CaMKII, leading to increased MMP-1 expression through MAPK pathways in bronchial epithelial cell lines. This novel regulatory pathway may serve as a potential target for the treatment of airway remodeling of many pulmonary diseases, such as asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
AhR agonists increase MMP-1 expression in bronchial epithelial cells. The underlying AhR pathway involves CaMKII, MAPKs, and AP-1 elements. The upregulated MMP-1 further activated MMP-2 and MMP-9. Asthmatic patients have higher serum MMP-1 level. This novel regulatory pathway is a potential target for treating asthma.
Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, 807, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ming-Ju
MJ
Tsai
Ya-Lin
YL
Hsu
Tsu-Nai
TN
Wang
Ling-Yu
LY
Wu
Chi-Tun
CT
Lien
Chih-Hsing
CH
Hung
Po-Lin
PL
Kuo
Ming-Shyan
MS
Huang
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1