Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis is attenuated by a monoclonal antibody targeting HER2

JA Faress, DE Nethery, EFO Kern… - Journal of Applied …, 2007 - journals.physiology.org
JA Faress, DE Nethery, EFO Kern, R Eisenberg, FJ Jacono, CL Allen, JA Kern
Journal of Applied Physiology, 2007journals.physiology.org
The importance of HER2/HER3 signaling in decreasing the effects of lung injury was
recently demonstrated. Transgenic mice unable to signal through HER2/HER3 had
significantly less bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and showed a survival benefit.
Based on these data, we hypothesized that pharmacological blockade of HER2/HER3 in
vivo in wild-type mice would have the same beneficial effects. We tested this hypothesis in a
bleomycin lung injury model using 2C4, a monoclonal antibody directed against HER2 that …
The importance of HER2/HER3 signaling in decreasing the effects of lung injury was recently demonstrated. Transgenic mice unable to signal through HER2/HER3 had significantly less bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and showed a survival benefit. Based on these data, we hypothesized that pharmacological blockade of HER2/HER3 in vivo in wild-type mice would have the same beneficial effects. We tested this hypothesis in a bleomycin lung injury model using 2C4, a monoclonal antibody directed against HER2 that blocks HER2/HER3 signaling. The administration of 2C4 before injury decreased the effects of bleomycin at days 15 and 21 after injury. HER2/HER3 blockade resulted in less collagen deposition (362.8 ± 37.9 compared with 610.5 ± 27.1 μg/mg; P = 0.03) and less lung morphological changes (injury score of 1.99 ± 1.55 vs. 3.90 ± 0.76; P < 0.04). In addition, HER2/HER3 blockade resulted in a significant survival advantage with 50% vs. 25% survival at 30 days (P = 0.04). These results confirm that HER2 signaling can be pharmacologically targeted to reduce lung fibrosis and remodeling after injury.
American Physiological Society