Roles of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the repair of hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury.

Abstract

Rapamycin inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity and has been proven effective for the treatment of lung injury. The objective of this study was to investigate the roles of the mTOR pathway and its inhibitor rapamycin in the repair of hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Firstly, premature rat lung fibroblast L929 cells were cultured under different oxygen concentrations (40%, 60%, and 90%). At day 3, 7 and 14 after exposure, MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the effect of oxygen stress on cell viability and apoptosis of L929 cells, respectively. Secondly, microscopy, MTT assay and flow cytometry was used to investigate the effect of 10 nM rapamycin on 90% O2 exposed L929 cells. We also used small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to abrogate the expression of mTOR in 90% O2 exposed L929 cells, and then evaluated the apoptosis and cell viability using flow cytometry and the MTT assay, respectively. In addition, western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Bcl-2, p53, TGF-β and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). A hyperoxia-induced lung injury model was established in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats in order to evaluate the histopathological changes in lung tissues and expression of the mTOR pathway and fibrosis related factors. Exposure to 40%, 60% or 90% oxygen all significantly inhibited the growth of L929 cells. Application of 10 nM rapamycin was found to effectively promote apoptosis of 90% O2 exposed L929 cells. In addition, mTOR siRNA promoted the apoptosis and inhibited the growth of L929 cells. Rapamycin inhibited the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway, down-regulated the expression of downstream proteins p70S6K and 4EBP1, reduced the collagen deposition and the production of fibrosis-inducing factors, including TGF-β and CTGF in hyperoxia-induced lung injury rats. Rapamycin may be useful for the treatment of hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by inhibiting the activation of mTOR signaling pathway.