Bouchaib Lamkhioued

CCR3 Expression and Function in Asthmatic Airway Smooth Muscle Cells

Asthma is characterized by an increase in airway smooth muscle mass and a decreased distance between the smooth muscle layer and the epithelium. Furthermore, there is evidence to indicate that airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) express a wide variety of receptors involved in the immune response. The aims of this study were to examine the expression of CCR3 on ASMC, to compare this expression between asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects, and to determine the implications of CCR3 expression in the migration of ASMC. We first demonstrated that ASMC constitutively express CCR3 at both mRNA and protein levels. Interestingly, TNF-α increases ASMC surface expression of CCR3 from 33 to 74%. Furthermore, using FACS analysis, we found that ASMC CCR3 is expressed to a greater degree in asthmatic vs control subjects (95 vs 75%). Functionality of the receptor was demonstrated by calcium assay; the addition of CCR3 ligand eotaxin to ASMC resulted in an increase in intracellular calcium production. Interestingly, ASMC was seen to demonstrate a positive chemotactic response to eotaxin. Indeed, ASMC significantly migrated toward 100 ng/ml eotaxin (2.2-fold increase, compared with control). In conclusion, the expression of CCR3 by ASMC is increased in asthmatics, and our data show that a CCR3 ligand such as eotaxin induces migration of ASMC in vitro. These results may suggest that eotaxin could be involved in the increased smooth muscle mass observed in asthmatics through the activation of CCR3.

Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells Express the High Affinity Receptor for IgE (FcεRI): A Critical Role of FcεRI in Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cell Function

Several reports suggest that activated airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells are capable of generating various proinflammatory mediators, including cytokines and chemokines. However, little is known about the mechanism involved in this process. In this regard, we have examined the expression and the role of the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) by ASM cells. Human ASM cells were found to constitutively express transcripts coding for α, β, and γ subunits of FcεRI. Flow cytometry and Western blot analysis confirmed the expression of FcεRI α-chain protein. Interestingly, FcεRI α-chain immunoreactivity was also demonstrated in smooth muscle within bronchial biopsies of asthmatic subjects. Cross-linking of FcεRI induced mobilization of free calcium in ASM cells, one of the critical signals to trigger smooth muscle contraction. Furthermore, cultured ASM cells released IL-4, IL-13, IL-5, and eotaxin but not IFN-γ, when sensitized with IgE followed by anti-IgE Ab cross-linking. The addition of anti-FcεRI α-chain Abs directed against IgE binding site inhibited this release. Taken together, these results suggest a potential new and important mechanism by which ASM cells may participate in airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction associated with allergic asthma.

Elastin Receptor (Spliced Galactosidase) Occupancy by Elastin Peptides Counteracts Proinflammatory Cytokine Expression in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human Monocytes through NF-κB Down-Regulation

In inflammatory diseases, strong release of elastinolytic proteases results in elastin fiber degradation generating elastin peptides (EPs). Chemotactic activity for inflammatory cells was, among wide range of properties, the former identified biological activity exerted by EPs. Recently, we demonstrated the ability of EPs to favor a Th1 cytokine (IL-2, IFN-γ) cell response in lymphocytes and to regulate IL-1β expression in melanoma cells. We hypothesized that EPs might also influence inflammatory cell properties by regulating cytokine expression by these cells. Therefore, we investigated the influence of EPs on inflammatory cytokine synthesis by human monocytes. We evidenced that EPs down-regulated both at the mRNA and protein levels the proinflammatory TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression in LPS-activated monocytes. Such negative feedback loop could be accounted solely for EP-mediated effects on proinflammatory cytokine production because EPs did not affect anti-inflammatory IL-10 or TGF-β secretion by LPS-activated monocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that EP effect on proinflammatory cytokine expression by LPS-stimulated monocytes could not be due either to a decrease of LPS receptor expression or to an alteration of LPS binding to its receptor. The inhibitory effects of EPs on cytokine expression were found to be mediated by receptor (spliced galactosidase) occupancy, as being suppressed by lactose, and to be associated with the decrease of NF-κB-DNA complex formation. As a whole, these results demonstrated that EP/spliced galactosidase interaction on human monocytes down-regulated NF-κB-dependent proinflammatory cytokine expression and pointed out the critical role of EPs in the regulation of inflammatory response.

IgE induces proliferation in human airway smooth muscle cells: role of MAPK and STAT3 pathways

Airway remodeling is not specifically targeted by current asthma medications, partly owing to the lack of understanding of remodeling mechanisms, altogether posing great challenges in asthma treatment. Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass due to hyperplasia/hypertrophy contributes significantly to overall airway remodeling and correlates with decline in lung function. Recent evidence suggests that IgE sensitization can enhance the survival and mediator release in inflammatory cells. Human ASM (HASM) cells express both low affinity (FcεRII/CD23) and high affinity IgE Fc receptors (FcεRI), and IgE can modulate the contractile and synthetic function of HASM cells. IgE was recently shown to induce HASM cell proliferation but the detailed mechanisms remain unknown. We report here that IgE sensitization induces HASM cell proliferation, as measured by 3H-thymidine, EdU incorporation, and manual cell counting. As an upstream signature component of FcεRI signaling, inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) abrogated the IgE-induced HASM proliferation. Further analysis of IgE-induced signaling depicted an IgE-mediated activation of Erk 1/2, p38, JNK MAPK, and Akt kinases. Lastly, lentiviral-shRNA-mediated STAT3 silencing completely abolished the IgE-mediated HASM cell proliferation. Collectively, our data provide mechanisms of a novel function of IgE which may contribute, at least in part, to airway remodeling observed in allergic asthma by directly inducing HASM cell proliferation.

Impaired Interleukin-8 Chemokine Secretion by Staphylococcus aureus–Activated Epithelium and T-Cell Chemotaxis in Cystic Fibrosis

Staphylococcus aureus is frequently isolated from lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Upon lung infection with S. aureus, airway epithelial cells (AEC) produce high levels of chemokines that enhance T-cell chemotaxis. Although the number of lymphocytes is increased in the airways and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with CF, the mechanisms responsible for their accumulation and the role of S. aureus in this process are largely unknown. This study investigated early S. aureus impact on chemokine secretion by CF epithelial cells and chemotaxis of CF T cells. CF and non-CF AEC were grown in a cell culture model and apically stimulated with S. aureus. Supernatants were quantified for chemokine secretions and assayed for T-cell chemotaxis. CF AEC secreted constitutively larger amounts of IL-8, GROalpha, MIG, MIP-3beta, and MCP-1 than non-CF epithelial cells. S. aureus interaction with epithelial cells increased chemokine production by non-CF cells but had no effect on CF cells. Chemotaxis of T cells derived from patients with CF was greater than that of T cells from subjects without CF. Moreover, there were more CF T cells expressing CXCR1 as compared with non-CF T cells. Under our experimental conditions, inhibition of IL-8 or its receptor CXCR1 resulted in a considerable decrease in T-cell chemotaxis (up to 80%). These data suggest that IL-8 and its receptor CXCR1 are key players in the chemotaxis of CF T cells and could be used as targets to develop therapies for CF.