Asbestos exposure induces alveolar epithelial cell plasticity through MAPK/Erk signaling

Journal of Cellular Biochemistry
Jenni A TamminenKatri Koli

Abstract

The inhalation of asbestos fibers is considered to be highly harmful, and lead to fibrotic and/or malignant disease. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a common pathogenic mechanism in asbestos associated fibrotic (asbestosis) and malignant lung diseases. The characterization of molecular pathways contributing to EMT may provide new possibilities for prognostic and therapeutic applications. The role of asbestos as an inducer of EMT has not been previously characterized. We exposed cultured human lung epithelial cells to crocidolite asbestos and analyzed alterations in the expression of epithelial and mesenchymal marker proteins and cell morphology. Asbestos was found to induce downregulation of E-cadherin protein levels in A549 lung carcinoma cells in 2-dimensional (2D) and 3D cultures. Similar findings were made in primary small airway epithelial cells cultured in 3D conditions where the cells retained alveolar type II cell phenotype. A549 cells also exhibited loss of cell-cell contacts, actin reorganization and expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in 2D cultures. These phenotypic changes were not associated with increased transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling activity. MAPK/Erk signaling pathway was f...Continue Reading

References

May 1, 1989·Environmental Health Perspectives·B T Mossman, J P Marsh
Feb 1, 1980·Environmental Health Perspectives·A L Frank
Oct 15, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·D S OryR C Mulligan
Oct 6, 1997·The EMBO Journal·A NakaoP ten Dijke
May 29, 1998·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·B T Mossman, A Churg
Jul 8, 1999·Journal of Cellular Physiology·R Robledo, B Mossman
Aug 30, 2001·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·T BrabletzT Kirchner
Aug 22, 2002·Nature Reviews. Cancer·Jean Paul Thiery
Apr 23, 2003·Free Radical Biology & Medicine·Arti ShuklaBrooke T Mossman
May 27, 2003·Journal of Cell Science·Karen L Schmeichel, Mina J Bissell
May 4, 2004·Laboratory Investigation; a Journal of Technical Methods and Pathology·Derek A PociaskArnold R Brody
Aug 18, 2004·The Journal of Clinical Investigation·Margit A HuberThomas Wirth
Sep 7, 2004·The International Journal of Developmental Biology·Héctor PeinadoAmparo Cano
Jun 11, 2005·Respiratory Research·Hidenori KasaiZhi Zhang
Jun 29, 2005·Development·Alejandro Barrallo-Gimeno, M Angela Nieto
Aug 16, 2005·Current Opinion in Cell Biology·Margit A HuberHartmut Beug
Sep 20, 2005·Cancer Cell·Susan E MoodyLewis A Chodosh
Feb 14, 2006·American Journal of Industrial Medicine·Matti S Huuskonen, Jorma Rantanen
Feb 24, 2006·Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology·Jean Paul Thiery, Jonathan P Sleeman
Jul 4, 2006·The American Journal of Pathology·Katri KoliJorma Keski-Oja
Jul 17, 2007·American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology·Brigham C Willis, Zea Borok
Aug 29, 2007·Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·Helena LeeRosemary Kane
Sep 11, 2007·The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology·Marcello Guarino
Oct 3, 2007·Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research·Andrea Sartore-BianchiLuciano Mutti
Nov 3, 2007·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Marjukka MyllärniemiKatri Koli
Nov 28, 2007·International Journal of Experimental Pathology·Qi YinDeborah E Sullivan
Feb 7, 2008·Journal of Cellular Biochemistry·Chengyin MinGail E Sonenshein
Mar 6, 2008·PLoS Medicine·Moisés SelmanNaftali Kaminski
Mar 24, 2009·Translational Research : the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine·David W Kamp
Jun 3, 2009·The Journal of Clinical Investigation·Raghu Kalluri, Robert A Weinberg
Jul 15, 2009·American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology·Outi LeppärantaMarjukka Myllärniemi
Aug 22, 2009·Human Pathology·Marcello GuarinoManuela Nebuloni
Mar 2, 2010·The European Respiratory Journal·C VancheriG Raghu
May 25, 2010·American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology·Carlos RamosMoisés Selman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 2, 2016·Particle and Fibre Toxicology·Giulia ViettiSybille van den Brule
Oct 5, 2016·Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine·Yasuhiko KogaKunio Dobashi
Jul 4, 2018·Small·Magdiel Inggrid SetyawatiDavid Tai Leong
Mar 20, 2018·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Phillip MunsonArti Shukla

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cadherins and Catenins

Cadherins (named for "calcium-dependent adhesion") are a type of cell adhesion molecule (CAM) that is important in the formation of adherens junctions to bind cells with each other. Catenins are a family of proteins found in complexes with cadherin cell adhesion molecules of animal cells: alpha-catenin can bind to β-catenin and can also bind actin. β-catenin binds the cytoplasmic domain of some cadherins. Discover the latest research on cadherins and catenins here.