Open AccessArticle
Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Transgenic Mice Carrying the Human MUC5B rs35705950 Variant
by
Suphachai Tharavecharak, Hajime Fujimoto, Taro Yasuma, Corina N. D’Alessandro-Gabazza, Masaaki Toda, Atsushi Tomaru, Haruko Saiki, Mei Uemura, Yurie Kogue, Toshiyuki Ito, Kazuki Furuhashi, Tomohito Okano, Atsuro Takeshita, Kota Nishihama, Ryoichi Ono, Osamu Hataji, Tetsuya Nosaka, Tetsu Kobayashi and Esteban C. Gabazza
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, often fatal lung disease characterized by tissue scarring and declining lung function. The
MUC5B promoter polymorphism rs35705950, a significant genetic predisposition for IPF, paradoxically associates with better survival and slower disease progression than other IPF genotypes.
[...] Read more.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, often fatal lung disease characterized by tissue scarring and declining lung function. The
MUC5B promoter polymorphism rs35705950, a significant genetic predisposition for IPF, paradoxically associates with better survival and slower disease progression than other IPF genotypes. This study investigates the potential paradoxical protective effects of this
MUC5B variant in lung fibrosis. For this purpose, we developed a transgenic mouse model overexpressing the human
MUC5B rs35705950 variant in the proximal large airways. Lung fibrosis was induced through subcutaneous injection of bleomycin. Results demonstrated significantly reduced lung fibrosis severity in transgenic mice compared to wild-type mice, assessed by trichrome staining, Ashcroft scoring, and hydroxyproline levels. Additionally, transgenic mice showed significantly lower levels of inflammatory cells and cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, IFNγ) and growth factors (PDGF, CTGF, IL-13) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissues. There was also a significant decrease in mRNA expressions of fibrosis-related markers (periostin, fibronectin, Col1a1). In summary, this study reveals that mucin overexpression related to the
MUC5B rs35705950 variant in the large airways significantly attenuates lung fibrosis and inflammatory responses in transgenic mice. These findings suggest that the rs35705950 variant modulates inflammatory and fibrotic responses in the proximal airways, which may contribute to the slower disease progression observed in IPF patients carrying this variant. Our study offers a possible explanation for the paradoxical beneficial effects of the
MUC5B variant despite its role as a significant predisposing factor for IPF.
Full article
►▼
Show Figures