RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Interleukin-13 induces collagen type-1 expression through matrix metalloproteinase-2 and transforming growth factor-β1 in airway fibroblasts in asthma
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP erj00687-2012
DO 10.1183/09031936.00068712
A1 Rafael Firszt
A1 Dave Francisco
A1 Tony D. Church
A1 Joseph M. Thomas
A1 Jennifer L. Ingram
A1 Monica Kraft
YR 2013
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2013/05/16/09031936.00068712.abstract
AB Airway remodeling is a feature of asthma that contributes to loss of lung function. One of the central components of airway remodeling is subepithelial fibrosis. Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a key TH2 cytokine and is believed to be the central mediator of allergic asthma including remodeling, but the mechanism driving the latter has not been elucidated in human asthma.We hypothesized that IL-13 stimulates collagen type-1 production by the airway fibroblast in a MMP- and TGF-β1-dependent manner in human asthma as compared to healthy controls.Fibroblasts were cultured from endobronchial biopsies in 14 subjects with mild asthma and 13 normal controls that underwent bronchoscopy. Airway fibroblasts were treated with various mediators including IL-13 and specific MMP-inhibitors.IL-13 significantly stimulated collagen type-1 production in asthma as compared to normal controls. Inhibitors of MMP-2 significantly attenuated collagen production in asthma but had no effect in normal controls. IL-13 significantly increased total and active forms of TGF-β1, and this activation was blocked using an MMP-2 inhibitor. IL-13 activated endogenous MMP-2 in asthma patients as compared to normal controls.In an ex-vivo model, IL-13 potentiates airway remodeling through a mechanism involving TGF-β1 and MMP-2. These effects provide insights into the mechanism involved in IL-13-directed airway remodeling in asthma.