Mechanosensitive channels in lung disease

Electrical Stimulation Using a Low-Frequency and Low-Intensity Alternating Current Modulates Type I Procollagen Production and MMP-1 Expression in Dermal Fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Despite various therapeutic modalities for keloids have been introduced; however, their therapeutic effects are limited. Therefore, the development of a new approach for inhibiting collagen production by scar fibroblasts is needed.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of electrical stimulation using a low-frequency and low-intensity alternating current on collagen and MMP-1 levels in human dermal fibroblasts.

METHODS

Low-frequency (20 kHz) and low-intensity (1 V/cm) electrical stimulations were applied to primary dermal fibroblasts. The production of type I procollagen and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 were evaluated. Transcriptomic analyses were conducted to explore the possible modes of action of electrical stimulation.

RESULTS

Electrical stimulation effectively suppressed type I procollagen production and increased MMP-1 expression. In addition, transcriptomic analyses revealed that electrical stimulation altered the gene expression associated with membrane permeability and the structure of cellular membranes. Validation using real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that electrical stimulation significantly altered the expression of mechanosensitive ion channels (PIEZO2) and membrane-bound protein organizing caveolae (CAVIN2).

CONCLUSION

Electrical stimulation using low-frequency and low-intensity alternating currents effectively modulates extracellular matrix homeostasis by altering the cellular membrane structure and function. Our findings suggest a promising therapeutic approach for the management of keloids and hypertrophic scars.

Mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel is highly expressed in the age-induced fibrotic uterus

BACKGROUND

As the trend of delayed childbearing continues, uterine aging is increasingly recognized as a critical factor impacting reproductive health and contributing to infertility. However, the underlying mechanisms of uterine aging remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore age-related changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the involvement of Piezo1, a mechanically sensitive non-selective cation channel, in mediating Wnt/β-catenin signaling within the aging uterus of rats.

METHOD

Eighteen female rats were divided into three age groups: 3 months (n = 9), 9 months (n = 9), and 18 months (n = 9). We performed comparative analyses of Piezo1 expression and fibrosis-related gene expression through immunohistochemical staining. Morphological changes in the uterine tissue were observed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Masson staining techniques.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed significant morphological and molecular alterations in the uterine tissue of aging rats. The endometrium became thinner, glandular structures decreased, and fibrotic deposits were evident with advancing age. Additionally, aging was associated with reduced endometrial cell proliferation. ECM-related genes, including PAI, CTGF, Fn, α-SMA, TGFβR, MMP9, MMP13, and CDH1, were upregulated in the 18-month-old group compared to the 3-month-old group. Furthermore, an increased abundance of Piezo1 protein and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were observed in fibrotic uterine tissues of aged rats.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our study identifies uterine fibrosis as a key feature of age-related changes in the rat uterus, with Piezo1 highly expressed in fibrotic uterus and may potentially playing a crucial role in this process by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of uterine aging, with potential implications for addressing age-related infertility.

Location, Location, Location: Spatial Immune-Stroma Crosstalk Drives Pathogenesis in Asthma

Chronic lung diseases including asthma are characterized by an abnormal immune response and active tissue remodeling. These changes in the architecture of the tissue are a fundamental part of the pathology across the life course of patients suffering from asthma. Current treatments aim at dampening the immune system hyperactivation, but effective drugs targeting stromal or acellular structures are still lacking. This is mainly due to the lack of a detailed understanding of the composition of the large airways and the cellular interactions taking place in this niche. We and others have revealed multiple aspects of the spatial architecture of the airway wall in response to airborne insults. In this review, we discuss four elements that we believe should be the focus of future asthma research across the life course, to increase understanding and improve therapies: (i) specialized lung niches, (ii) the 3D architecture of the epithelium, (iii) the extracellular matrix, and (iv) the vasculature. These components comprise the main stromal structures at the airway wall, each playing a key role in the development of asthma and directing the immune response. We summarize promising future directions that will enhance lung research, ultimately benefiting patients with asthma.

Nanoparticles to target asthma

Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic lung disease that affects nearly 340 million people globally. Airway hyperresponsiveness, remodeling (thickening and fibrosis), and mucus hypersecretion are some hallmarks of asthma. With several current treatments having serious side effects from long-term use and a proportion of patients with uncontrolled asthma, there is an urgent need for new therapies. With an increasing understanding of asthma pathophysiology, there is a recognized need to target therapies to specific cell types of the airway, which necessitates the identification of delivery systems that can overcome increased mucus and thickened airways. Nanoparticles (NPs) that are highly customizable (material, size, charge, and surface modification) are a potential solution for delivery systems of a wide variety of cargoes (nucleic acids, proteins, and/or small molecules), as well as sole therapeutics for asthma. However, there is a need to consider the safety of the NPs in terms of potential for inflammation, toxicity, nonspecific targets, and accumulation in organs. Ongoing clinical trials using NPs, some FDA-approved for therapeutics in other diseases, provide confidence regarding the potential safety and efficacy of NPs in asthma treatment. This review highlights the current state of the use of NPs in asthma, identifying opportunities for further improvements in NP design and utilization for targeting this chronic lung disease.

Non-electrophysiological techniques targeting transient receptor potential (TRP) gene of gastrointestinal tract

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are cation channels related to a wide range of physical and chemical stimuli, they are expressed all along the gastrointestinal system, and a myriad of diseases are often associated with aberrant expression or mutation of the TRP gene, suggesting that TRPs are promising targets for drug therapy. Therefore, a better understanding of the information of TRPs in health and disease could facilitate the development of effective drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases like IBD. But there are very few generalizations about the experimental techniques studied in this field. In view of the promise of TRP as a therapeutic target, we discuss experimental methods that can be used for TRPs including their distribution, function and interaction with other proteins, as well as some promising emerging technologies to provide experimental methods for future studies.