A20 Is Increased in Fetal Lung in a Sheep LPS Model of Chorioamnionitis.

Steffen Kunzmann,Boris W Kramer,Barbara Ottensmeier,Matthias Hütten,Markus Fehrholz,Stefanie Endesfelder

doi:10.1155/2022/6421419

Steffen Kunzmann, Boris W Kramer + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6421419

Copy DOI

Abstract

Chorioamnionitis is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and aggravates adverse outcomes such as BPD. Development of BPD is associated with chronic inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress in the airways which may be antenatally initiated by chorioamnionitis. A20 is an immunomodulatory protein involved in the negative feedback regulation of inflammatory reactions and is a possible regulator protein in oxidative stress reactions. The influence of chorioamnionitis on A20 gene regulation in the fetal lung is unknown. We characterized the influence of LPS and proinflammatory cytokines on A20 expression in human lung endothelial (HPMEC-ST1.6R) and epithelial (A549) cells in vitro by real-time PCR and/or western blotting and used a sheep model of LPS-induced chorioamnionitis for in vivo studies. To study the functional role of A20, endogenous A20 was overexpressed in HPMEC-ST1.6R and A549 cells. LPS induced proinflammatory cytokines in HPMEC-ST1.6R and A549 cells. Both LPS and/or proinflammatory cytokines elevated A20 at transcriptional and translational levels. Intra-amniotic LPS transiently increased IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α mRNA levels in fetal lamb lungs, associated with an increase in A20 mRNA and protein levels. Overexpression of A20 reduced proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. Repeated LPS exposure induced LPS tolerance for proinflammatory cytokines and A20 in vitro and in vivo. Antenatal inflammation induced a transient increase in proinflammatory cytokines in the preterm fetal lung. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines increased expression of A20. Elevated A20 may have a protective role by downregulating chorioamnionitis-triggered fetal lung inflammation. A20 may be a novel target for pharmacological interventions to prevent chorioamnionitis-induced airway inflammation and lung damage, which can result in BPD later in life.

Highlights

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is still the most common adverse outcome after preterm birth
In lung epithelial cells (A549) the response of LPS on proinflammatory cytokine production was lower (IL-1β (3.0-fold), IL-6 (2.2-fold), IL-8 (7.8-fold, p < 0:05), and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-)α (5.6-fold)) compared to HPMEC-ST1.6R (Figure 1(b)). These results indicate that LPS increases proinflammatory cytokine production at the transcriptional level to a different extent in different lung cell lines
We describe for the first time an antenatal transient upregulation of A20 in the fetal sheep lung induced by chorioamnionitis

Summary

Introduction

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is still the most common adverse outcome after preterm birth. Patients with BPD have reduced area for gas exchange which is the result of an impaired lung development in both the alveoli and the microvasculature. The disturbed development of alveoli and the microvasculature is highly associated with lung inflammation- and oxygen toxicity-induced airway and vascular remodeling [1, 2]. The underlying mechanisms of this disturbed lung development during chronic inflammation and oxidative stress remain unclear [3, 4]. Pulmonary inflammation can already begin in utero due to chorioamnionitis, which is a microbial infection of the amnion and chorion [5]. Chorioamnionitis is one of the leading factors associated with preterm birth [6].

Methods

Results

Conclusion