Transcription factor ets-2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2011 Nov;45(5):999-1006. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2010-0490OC. Epub 2011 May 11.

Abstract

Ets-2 is a ubiquitous transcription factor activated after phosphorylation at threonine-72. Previous studies highlighted the importance of phosphorylated ets-2 in lung inflammation and extracellular matrix remodeling, two pathways involved in pulmonary fibrosis. We hypothesized that phosphorylated ets-2 played an important role in pulmonary fibrosis, and we sought to determine the role of ets-2 in its pathogenesis. We challenged ets-2 (A72/A72) transgenic mice (harboring a mutated form of ets-2 at phosphorylation site threonine-72) and ets-2 (wild-type/wild-type [WT/WT]) control mice with sequential intraperitoneal injections of bleomycin, followed by quantitative measurements of lung fibrosis and inflammation and primary cell in vitro assays. Concentrations of phosphorylated ets-2 were detected via the single and dual immunohistochemical staining of murine lungs and lung sections from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Ets-2 (A72/A72) mice were protected from bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, compared with ets-2 (WT/WT) mice. This protection was characterized by decreased lung pathological abnormalities and the fibrotic gene expression of Type I collagen, Type III collagen, α-smooth muscle actin, and connective tissue growth factor. Immunohistochemical staining of lung sections from bleomycin-treated ets-2 (WT/WT) mice and from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis demonstrated increased staining of phosphorylated ets-2 that colocalized with Type I collagen expression and to fibroblastic foci. Lastly, primary lung fibroblasts from ets-2 (A72/A72) mice exhibited decreased expression of Type I collagen in response to stimulation with TGF-β, compared with fibroblasts from ets-2 (WT/WT) mice. These data indicate the importance of phosphorylated ets-2 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis through the expression of Type I collagen and (myo)fibroblast activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Actins / biosynthesis
  • Actins / genetics
  • Animals
  • Bleomycin / adverse effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Collagen Type I / biosynthesis
  • Collagen Type I / genetics
  • Collagen Type III / biosynthesis
  • Collagen Type III / genetics
  • Connective Tissue Growth Factor / biosynthesis
  • Connective Tissue Growth Factor / genetics
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Lung / chemistry
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Phosphorylation
  • Pneumonia / chemically induced
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-2 / metabolism*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / metabolism*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology

Substances

  • ACTA2 protein, human
  • Actins
  • CCN2 protein, human
  • CCN2 protein, mouse
  • Collagen Type I
  • Collagen Type III
  • ETS2 protein, human
  • Ets2 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-2
  • alpha-smooth muscle actin, mouse
  • Bleomycin
  • Connective Tissue Growth Factor