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Polverino F, Mirra D, Yang CX, Esposito R, Spaziano G, Rojas-Quintero J, Sgambato M, Piegari E, Cozzolino A, Cione E, Gallelli L, Capuozzo A, Santoriello C, Berrino L, de- Torres JP, Hackett TL, Polverino M, D’Agostino B. Similar programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression profile in patients with mild COPD and lung cancer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22402. [PMID: 36575294 PMCID: PMC9792927 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26650-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) is crucial in regulating the immunological tolerance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Alveolar macrophage (AM)-derived PD-L1 binds to its receptor, PD-1, on surveilling lymphocytes, leading to lymphocyte exhaustion. Increased PD-L1 expression is associated with cigarette smoke (CS)-exposure. However, the PD-L1 role in CS-associated lung diseases associated with NSCLC, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is still unclear. In two different cohorts of ever smokers with COPD or NSCLC, and ever and never smoker controls, we evaluated PD-L1 expression: (1) via cutting-edge digital spatial proteomic and transcriptomic profiling (Geomx) of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lung tissue sections (n = 19); and (2) via triple immunofluorescence staining of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) AMs (n = 83). PD-L1 mRNA expression was also quantified in BAL AMs exposed to CS extract. PD-L1 expression was increased in the bronchiolar wall, parenchyma, and vascular wall from mild-moderate (GOLD 1-2) COPD patients compared to severe-very severe (GOLD 3-4) COPD patients and controls. Within all the COPD patients, PD-L1 protein expression was associated with upregulation of genes involved in tumor progression and downregulation of oncosuppressive genes, and strongly directly correlated with the FEV1% predicted, indicating higher PD-L1 expression in the milder vs. more severe COPD stages. In bronchioles, PD-L1 levels were strongly directly correlated with the number of functionally active AMs. In BAL, we confirmed that AMs from patients with both GOLD 1-2 COPD and NSCLC had the highest and similar, PD-L1 expression levels versus all the other groups, independently from active cigarette smoking. Intriguingly, AMs from patients with more severe COPD had reduced AM PD-L1 expression compared to patients with mild COPD. Acute CS extract stimulation increased PD-L1 mRNA expression only in never-and not in ever-smoker AMs. Lungs from patients with mild COPD and NSCLC are characterized by a similar strong PD-L1 expression signature in bronchioles and functionally active AMs compared to patients with severe COPD and controls. Active smoking does not affect PD-L1 levels. These observations represent a new resource in understanding the innate immune mechanisms underlying the link between COPD and lung cancer onset and progression and pave the way to future studies focused on the mechanisms by which CS promotes tumorigenesis and COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Polverino
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - D. Mirra
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - C. X. Yang
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - R. Esposito
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - G. Spaziano
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - J. Rojas-Quintero
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - M. Sgambato
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - E. Piegari
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - A. Cozzolino
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - E. Cione
- grid.7778.f0000 0004 1937 0319University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - L. Gallelli
- grid.411489.10000 0001 2168 2547University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | - L. Berrino
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - J. P. de- Torres
- grid.410356.50000 0004 1936 8331Queen’s University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - T. L. Hackett
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - B. D’Agostino
- grid.9841.40000 0001 2200 8888University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
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Tomchaney M, Contoli M, Mayo J, Baraldo S, Li S, Cabel CR, Bull DA, Lick S, Malo J, Knoper S, Kim SS, Tram J, Rojas-Quintero J, Kraft M, Ledford JG, Tesfaigzi Y, Martinez FD, Thorne CA, Kheradmand F, Campos SK, Papi A, Polverino F. Paradoxical effects of cigarette smoke and COPD on SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease. BMC Pulm Med 2021; 21:275. [PMID: 34425811 PMCID: PMC8381712 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-021-01639-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND How cigarette smoke (CS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection and severity is controversial. We investigated the effects of COPD and CS on the expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor ACE2 in vivo in COPD patients and controls and in CS-exposed mice, and the effects of CS on SARS-CoV-2 infection in human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. METHODS We quantified: (1) pulmonary ACE2 protein levels by immunostaining and ELISA, and both ACE2 and/or TMPRSS2 mRNA levels by RT-qPCR in two independent human cohorts; and (2) pulmonary ACE2 protein levels by immunostaining and ELISA in C57BL/6 WT mice exposed to air or CS for up to 6 months. The effects of CS exposure on SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated after in vitro infection of Calu-3 cells and differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), respectively. RESULTS ACE2 protein and mRNA levels were decreased in peripheral airways from COPD patients versus controls but similar in central airways. Mice exposed to CS had decreased ACE2 protein levels in their bronchial and alveolar epithelia versus air-exposed mice. CS treatment decreased viral replication in Calu-3 cells, as determined by immunofluorescence staining for replicative double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and western blot for viral N protein. Acute CS exposure decreased in vitro SARS-CoV-2 replication in HBECs, as determined by plaque assay and RT-qPCR. CONCLUSIONS ACE2 levels were decreased in both bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells from COPD patients versus controls, and from CS-exposed versus air-exposed mice. CS-pre-exposure potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. These findings urge to investigate further the controversial effects of CS and COPD on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tomchaney
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - M Contoli
- Respiratory Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - J Mayo
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - S Baraldo
- Department of Cardiological, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - S Li
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, USA
| | - C R Cabel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, USA
| | - D A Bull
- Thoracic Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - S Lick
- Thoracic Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - J Malo
- Thoracic Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - S Knoper
- Thoracic Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - S S Kim
- Thoracic Surgery, Northwester University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J Tram
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - J Rojas-Quintero
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Kraft
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - J G Ledford
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Y Tesfaigzi
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - F D Martinez
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - C A Thorne
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, USA
| | | | - S K Campos
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - A Papi
- Respiratory Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - F Polverino
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
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Tomchaney M, Contoli M, Mayo J, Baraldo S, Shuaizhi L, Cabel CR, Bull DA, Lick S, Malo J, Knoper S, Kim SS, Tram J, Rojas-Quintero J, Kraft M, Ledford J, Tesfaigzi Y, Martinez FD, Thorne CA, Kheradmand F, Campos SK, Papi A, Polverino F. Paradoxical effects of cigarette smoke and COPD on SARS-CoV2 infection and disease. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 33330864 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.07.413252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction How cigarette smoke (CS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severity is controversial. We investigated the protein and mRNA expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor ACE2 and proteinase TMPRSS2 in lungs from COPD patients and controls, and lung tissue from mice exposed acutely and chronically to CS. Also, we investigated the effects of CS exposure on SARS-CoV-2 infection in human bronchial epithelial cells. Methods In Cohort 1, ACE2-positive cells were quantified by immunostaining in FFPE sections from both central and peripheral airways. In Cohort 2, we quantified pulmonary ACE2 protein levels by immunostaining and ELISA, and both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA levels by RT-qPCR. In C57BL/6 WT mice exposed to air or CS for up to 6 months, pulmonary ACE2 protein levels were quantified by triple immunofluorescence staining and ELISA. The effects of CS exposure on SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated after 72hr in vitro infection of Calu-3 cells. After SARS-CoV-2 infection, the cells were fixed for IF staining with dsRNA-specific J2 monoclonal Ab, and cell lysates were harvested for WB of viral nucleocapsid (N) protein. Supernatants (SN) and cytoplasmic lysates were obtained to measure ACE2 levels by ELISA. Results In both human cohorts, ACE2 protein and mRNA levels were decreased in peripheral airways from COPD patients versus both smoker and NS controls, but similar in central airways. TMPRSS2 levels were similar across groups. Mice exposed to CS had decreased ACE2 protein levels in their bronchial and alveolar epithelia versus air-exposed mice exposed to 3 and 6 months of CS. In Calu3 cells in vitro, CS-treatment abrogated infection to levels below the limit of detection. Similar results were seen with WB for viral N protein, showing peak viral protein synthesis at 72hr. Conclusions ACE2 levels were decreased in both bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells from uninfected COPD patients versus controls, and from CS-exposed versus air-exposed mice. CS-pre-treatment did not affect ACE2 levels but potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in this in vitro model. These findings urge to further investigate the controversial effects of CS and COPD on SARS-CoV2 infection.
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