Journal
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
Volume 77, Issue 4, Pages 520-527Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/pr.2015.8
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Funding
- Project New Born
- Batchelor Award of University of Miami, Miami, FL
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BACKGROUND: Overexpression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in alveolar type II epithelial (AT II) cells disrupts alveolar structure, causes interstitial fibrosis, and upregulates integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Whether CTGF-ILK signaling induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in AT II cells is unknown. METHODS: Transgenic mice with targeted overexpression of CTGF in AT II cells were generated utilizing the surfactant protein C (SP-C) gene promoter and doxycycline-inducible system. AT II cells were isolated from 4-wk-old CTGF-overexpressing (CTGF+) mice and control littermates, and cultured on Matrigel. Cells were transfected with ILK siRNA, and cell morphology and expression of cell differentiation markers were analyzed. RESULTS: The AT II cells from the control lungs grew in clusters and formed alveolar-like cysts and expressed SP-C. In contrast, the cells from CTGF+ lungs were spread and failed to form alveolar-like cysts. These cells expressed higher levels of CTGF, alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), fibronectin and vimentin, the mesenchymal markers, suggesting EMT-like changes. Transfection with ILK siRNA not only dramatically attenuated ILK expression, but also decreased alpha-SMA expression as well as reversed cell morphological changes in CTGF+ AT II cells. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of CTGF induces EMT in mouse primary AT II cells and this is mediated by ILK.
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