title: Effect of the Wnt1/β-catenin signalling pathway on human embryonic pulmonary fibroblasts.
abstract: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic lung disease associated with a high rate of mortality, characterised by an accumulation of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts in the fibroblastic foci (FF) and by an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the lung parenchyma. The pathogenesis of this fatal disorder remains unclear. Previous evidence suggests that myofibroblasts are key effectors of the deposition of ECM. In the present study, human embryonic pulmonary fibroblast (HEPF) cells were incubated with different concentrations of Wnt1. The present study revealed that cell proliferation improved following stimulation using different concentrations of Wnt1 in a concentration-dependent manner. When the concentration exceeded 20 µg/l, cell proliferation was significant (P<0.05) and the cell expression of α-SMA, vimentin and collagen I mRNA, as well as protein expression, significantly increased (P<0.05). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was then obtained from bleomycin (BLM)-induced models of pulmonary fibrosis. HEPF cells were cultured with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium plus BALF. The mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA, vimentin and collagen I significantly increased and these increases were associated with β-catenin. Furthermore, following being infected with the lentivirus expressing β-catenin shRNA, HEPF cells were cultured with BALF. However, the mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA, vimentin and collagen I did not increase significantly. The present study suggested that the Wnt1/β-catenin signalling pathway can promote HEPF cell proliferation and induced HEPF cells can change into myofibroblasts and promote ECM deposition. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of IPF.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jin-Xu
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Huaibei Miner General Hospital, Huaibei, Anhui 235000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ji-Zhu
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*; D051155:Wnt1 Protein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014746:Vimentin; C495247:WNT1 protein, human; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D001761:Bleomycin