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A fibroblast-dependent TGF-β1/sFRP2 noncanonical Wnt signaling axis promotes epithelial metaplasia in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Max L. Cohen, … , Harold A. Chapman, Claude Jourdan Le Saux
Max L. Cohen, … , Harold A. Chapman, Claude Jourdan Le Saux
Published July 9, 2024
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2024;134(18):e174598. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI174598.
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Research Article Pulmonology

A fibroblast-dependent TGF-β1/sFRP2 noncanonical Wnt signaling axis promotes epithelial metaplasia in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

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Abstract

Reciprocal interactions between alveolar fibroblasts and epithelial cells are crucial for lung homeostasis, injury repair, and fibrogenesis, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate, we administered the fibroblast-selective TGF-β1 signaling inhibitor epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients undergoing diagnostic lung biopsy and conducted single-cell RNA-Seq on spare tissue. Biopsies from untreated patients showed higher fibroblast TGF-β1 signaling compared with nondisease donor or end-stage ILD tissues. In vivo, EGCG downregulated TGF-β1 signaling and several proinflammatory and stress pathways in biopsy samples. Notably, EGCG reduced fibroblast secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (sFRP2), an unrecognized TGF-β1 fibroblast target gene induced near type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEC2s) in situ. Using AEC2-fibroblast coculture organoids and precision-cut lung slices (PCLSs) from nondiseased donors, we found TGF-β1 signaling promotes a spread AEC2 KRT17+ basaloid state, whereupon sFRP2 then activates a mature cytokeratin 5+ (Krt5+) basal cell program. Wnt-receptor Frizzled 5 (Fzd5) expression and downstream calcineurin signaling were required for sFRP2-induced nuclear NFATc3 accumulation and KRT5 expression. These findings highlight stage-specific TGF-β1 signaling in ILD and the therapeutic potential of EGCG in reducing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis–related (IPF-related) transcriptional changes and identify TGF-β1/noncanonical Wnt pathway crosstalk via sFRP2 as a mechanism for dysfunctional epithelial signaling in IPF/ILD.

Authors

Max L. Cohen, Alexis N. Brumwell, Tsung Che Ho, Kiana Garakani, Genevieve Montas, Darren Leong, Vivianne W. Ding, Jeffrey A. Golden, Binh N. Trinh, David M. Jablons, Michael A. Matthay, Kirk D. Jones, Paul J. Wolters, Ying Wei, Harold A. Chapman, Claude Jourdan Le Saux

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Figure 5

sFRP2 promotes BC differentiation of human AEC2s.

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sFRP2 promotes BC differentiation of human AEC2s.
(A) Immunofluorescence...
(A) Immunofluorescence for SFTPC and KRT5 of AEC2-derived organoids cocultured with MRC5 cells treated with sFRP2 for 14 days. Representative of n = 5 biological replicates. The experiment was performed in 3 technical triplicates, and data from 3 technical replicates are counted as 1 biological replicate. Original magnification, ×200. (B) Percentages of SFTPC+KRT5–, SFTPC+KRT5+, and SFTPC–KRT5+ cells in day-14 AEC2s plus MRC5 organoids treated with sFRP2. (C) Immunofluorescence of AEC2-derived organoids cocultured with AHLM after sFRP2 silencing. Original magnification, ×200. (D) Percentages of SFTPC+KRT5–, SFTPC+KRT5+, and SFTPC–KRT5+ cells in day-7 AEC2s plus AHLMsfrp2neg organoids. Data are presented as means of n = 4 biological replicates. (E) Levels of expression of krt5, ngfr, sftpc, and axin2 mRNA in EPCAM+ cells isolated from day-14 AEC2s plus MRC5 organoids treated with sFRP2. n = 3 biological replicates for sFFRP2 (10 and 30 ng/ml) and n = 4–7 biological replicates for sFRP2 (60 ng/ml). (F) Expression of genes characteristic for BCs in EPCAM+ cells isolated from day-21 AEC2s plus MRC5 organoids treated with sFRP2 (60 ng/ml). n = 2 biological replicates. (G and H) PCLSs from nondiseased donors were cultured and treated with or without TGF-β1 (2 ng/ml), with or without sFRP2 (60 ng/ml), and with or without EGCG (1 μM) for 7 days. (G) Lysates were blotted for KRT5 and KRT17. n = 3 biological replicates. (H) Immunofluorescence of KRT5 and KRT17. Representative of n = 3 independent experiments. Original magnification, ×100. Region of interest is presented as an insert (white rectangle) to show elongation of nuclei (DAPI) and cell morphology, outlined as a dotted line in insert as indicated by white arrowheads. Statistical significance was determined by mixed-effects analysis followed by Tukey’s multiple-comparisons test (B and D), Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test (E), and 2-tailed t test (F). P values are reported in Supplemental Table 4 for B and D.

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