The forced oscillation technique (FOT) is a powerful, integrative and translational tool permitting the experimental assessment of lung function in mice in a comprehensive, detailed, precise and ...reproducible manner. It provides measurements of respiratory system mechanics through the analysis of pressure and volume signals acquired in reaction to predefined, small amplitude, oscillatory airflow waveforms, which are typically applied at the subject's airway opening. The present protocol details the steps required to adequately execute forced oscillation measurements in mice using a computer-controlled piston ventilator (flexiVent; SCIREQ Inc, Montreal, Qc, Canada). The description is divided into four parts: preparatory steps, mechanical ventilation, lung function measurements, and data analysis. It also includes details of how to assess airway responsiveness to inhaled methacholine in anesthetized mice, a common application of this technique which also extends to other outcomes and various lung pathologies. Measurements obtained in naïve mice as well as from an oxidative-stress driven model of airway damage are presented to illustrate how this tool can contribute to a better characterization and understanding of studied physiological changes or disease models as well as to applications in new research areas.
Background and Purpose
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are pro‐inflammatory lipid mediators that exacerbate disease state in several asthma phenotypes including asthma induced by allergen, virus and ...exercise. However, the role of CysLTs in irritant‐induced airway disease is not well characterized. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of montelukast, a CysLT1 receptor antagonist, on parameters of irritant‐induced asthma induced by inhalation of chlorine in the mouse.
Experimental Approach
BALB/c mice were exposed to chlorine in air (100 ppm, for 5 min). Montelukast (3 mg·kg−1) or the vehicle (1% methylcellulose) was administered 24 and 1 h prior to chlorine exposure and 1 h prior to outcome measurements. Twenty‐four hours after exposure, responses to inhaled aerosolized methacholine, cell composition and an array of cytokines/chemokines in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were measured. Neutralizing antibodies against IL‐6 and VEGF were administered prior to exposures.
Key Results
Montelukast reduced chlorine ‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine in the peripheral lung compartment as estimated from dynamic elastance, but not in large conducting airways. Montelukast treatment attenuated chlorine‐induced macrophage influx, neutrophilia and eosinophilia in BAL fluid. Chlorine exposure increased VEGF, IL‐6, the chemokines KC and CCL3 in BAL fluid. Montelukast treatment prevented chlorine‐induced increases in VEGF and IL‐6. Anti‐IL‐6 antibody inhibited chlorine‐induced neutrophilia and reduced AHR.
Conclusions and Implications
Pre‐treatment with montelukast attenuated chlorine‐induced neutrophilia and AHR in mice. These effects are mediated, in part, via IL‐6.
CD4 T cells express the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor ligand, heparin-binding EGF (HB-EGF), with no defined immuno-pathophysiological function. Therefore, we wished to elucidate the function ...of HB-EGF synthesized by CD4 T cells in the context of allergic pulmonary inflammation and the asthma surrogate, airway hyperresponsiveness, in a murine acute model of asthma. In this study, we show how knocking out HB-EGF expression in CD4 T cells in vivo attenuates IL-5 synthesis in the lung that is accompanied by diminished eosinophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. HB-EGF coimmunoprecipitates with the transcriptional repressor B cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6) in CD4 T cells. Knocking out HB-EGF in CD4 T cells resulted in increased Bcl-6 binding to the IL-5 gene and decreased IL-5 mRNA expression. Thus, these findings suggest an immunoregulatory function for intrinsic HB-EGF expressed by CD4 T cells in T
2 inflammation and airway dysfunction by modulating IL-5 expression via binding to and inhibiting the repressive function of Bcl-6.
Chlorine gas (Cl2) is a potent oxidant and trigger of irritant induced asthma. We explored NF-E2–related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent mechanisms in the asthmatic response to Cl2, using Nrf2-deficient ...mice, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis and sulforaphane (SFN), a phytochemical regulator of Nrf2.
Airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) were assessed 24 and 48h after a 5-min nose-only exposure to 100ppm Cl2 of Nrf2-deficient and wild type Balb/C mice treated with BSO or SFN. Animals were anesthetized, paralyzed and mechanically ventilated (FlexiVent™) and challenged with aerosolized methacholine. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and lung tissues were harvested for assessment of gene expression.
Cl2 exposure induced a robust AHR and an intense neutrophilic inflammation that, although similar in Nrf2-deficient mice and wild-type mice at 24h after Cl2 exposure, were significantly greater at 48h post exposure in Nrf2-deficient mice. Lung GSH and mRNA for Nrf2-dependent phase II enzymes (NQO-1 and GPX2) were significantly lower in Nrf2-deficient than wild-type mice after Cl2 exposure. BSO reduced GSH levels and promoted Cl2-induced airway inflammation in wild-type mice, but not in Nrf2-deficient mice, whereas SFN suppressed Cl2-induced airway inflammation in wild-type but not in Nrf2-deficient mice. AHR was not affected by either BSO or SFN at 48h post Cl2 exposure.
Nrf2-dependent phase II enzymes play a role in the resolution of airway inflammation and AHR after Cl2 exposure. Moderate deficiency of GSH affects the magnitude of acute inflammation but not AHR.
Nrf2 activity and its modulation in response to chlorine. (A) Chlorine gas (Cl2) induces airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in both Nrf2-deficient (Nrf2-/-) and wild-type (Nrf2+/+) mice at 24h after Cl2 exposure. (B) In wild type mice, Nrf2 translocates to the nucleus where it binds antioxidant response element and upregulates genes associated with glutathione synthesis and antioxidant defense. As consequence, 48h after Cl2 exposure mice expressing Nrf2 present decrease lung inflammation and resolution of AHR compared to Nrf2-/- mice. sulforaphane (SFN) stimulates Nrf2 nuclear translocation and an increase of the reduced form of glutathione leading to resolution of lung inflammation but not AHR in Nrf2+/+. The inhibition of GSH synthesis by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) decrease the anti-oxidant defense leading to increased inflammation without affecting AHR. (C) In contrast, both SFN and BSO do not affect Cl2-induced airway inflammation and AHR at 48h after exposure in Nrf2-/- mice. Cl2, Chlorine gas; Nrf2, NF-E2–related factor 2; ARE, antioxidant response element; GPX2, glutathione peroxidase 2; GCLM, glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit; GST-P1, glutathione-S-transferase-P1; HO-1, heme-oxygenase 1; NQO1, NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1; GSH, glutathione; GSSG, glutathione disulfide; AHR, airway hyperresponsiveness; SFN, sulforaphane; SOD1, superoxide dismutase 1; BSO, buthionine sulfoximine. Display omitted
•Early airway dysfunction following chlorine exposure is Nrf2 independent.•Nrf2 deficiency prolongs of airway dysfunction after Cl2 exposure.•BSO affects the magnitude of acute inflammation but not AHR.•SFN increases GSH and promotes resolution of inflammation but not AHR.
Inhaled oxidative toxicants present in ambient air cause airway epithelial injury, inflammation, and airway hyperresponsiveness. Effective adaptation to such environmental insults is essential for ...the preservation of pulmonary function, whereas failure or incomplete adaptation to oxidative injury can render the host susceptible to the development of airway disease.
We sought to explore the mechanisms of airway adaptation to oxidative injury.
For a model to study pulmonary adaptation to oxidative stress–induced lung injury, we exposed mice to repeated nose-only chlorine gas exposures. Outcome measures were evaluated 24 hours after the last chlorine exposure. Lung mechanics and airway responsiveness to methacholine were assessed by using the flexiVent. Inflammation and antioxidant responses were assessed in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue. Using both loss or gain of function and genomic approaches, we further dissected the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in pulmonary adaptation.
Repeated exposures to oxidative stress resulted in pulmonary adaptation evidenced by abrogation of neutrophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. This adaptation was independent of antioxidant mechanisms and regulatory T cells but dependent on residential alveolar macrophages (AMs). Interestingly, 5% of AMs expressed forkhead box P3, and depletion of these cells abolished adaptation. Results from transcriptomic profiling and loss and gain of function suggest that adaptation might be dependent on TGF-β and prostaglandin E2.
Pulmonary adaptation during oxidative stress–induced lung injury is mediated by a novel subset of forkhead box P3–positive AMs that limits inflammation, favoring airway adaptation and host fitness through TGF-β and prostaglandin E2.
Display omitted
Airway exposure to organic dust (OD) from swine confinement facilities induces airway inflammation dominated by neutrophils and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). One important neutrophilic innate ...defense mechanism is the induction of oxidative stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that neutrophils exacerbate airway dysfunction following OD exposure by increasing oxidant burden. BALB/C mice were given intranasal challenges with OD or PBS (1/day for 3 days). Mice were untreated or treated with a neutrophil-depleting antibody, anti-Ly6G, or the antioxidant dimethylthiourea (DMTU) prior to OD exposure. Twenty-four hours after the final exposure, we measured airway responsiveness in response to methacholine (MCh) and collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid to assess pulmonary inflammation and total antioxidant capacity. Lung tissue was harvested to examine the effect of OD-induced antioxidant gene expression and the effect of anti-Ly6G or DMTU. OD exposure induced a dose-dependent increase of airway responsiveness, a neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation, and secretion of keratinocyte cytokine. Depletion of neutrophils reduced OD-induced AHR. DMTU prevented pulmonary inflammation involving macrophages and neutrophils. Neutrophil depletion and DMTU were highly effective in preventing OD-induced AHR affecting large, conducting airways and tissue elastance. OD induced an increase in total antioxidant capacity and mRNA levels of NRF-2-dependent antioxidant genes, effects that are prevented by administration of DMTU and neutrophil depletion. We conclude that an increase in oxidative stress and neutrophilia is critical in the induction of OD-induced AHR. Prevention of oxidative stress diminishes neutrophil influx and AHR, suggesting that mechanisms driving OD-induced AHR may be dependent on neutrophil-mediated oxidant pathways.
Chlorine gas (Cl2) inhalation causes oxidative stress, airway epithelial damage, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and neutrophilia. We evaluated the effect of neutrophil depletion on Cl2-induced AHR ...and its effect on the endogenous antioxidant response, and if eosinophils or macrophages influence Cl2-induced AHR. We exposed male Balb/C mice to 100 ppm Cl2 for 5 minutes. We quantified inflammatory cell populations in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), the antioxidant response in lung tissue by quantitative PCR, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) nuclear translocation by immunofluorescence. In vitro, NRF2 nuclear translocation in response to exogenous hypochlorite was assessed using a luciferase assay. Anti-granulocyte receptor-1 antibody or anti-Ly6G was used to deplete neutrophils. The effects of neutrophil depletion on IL-13 and IL-17 were measured by ELISA. Eosinophils and macrophages were depleted using TRFK5 or clodronate-loaded liposomes, respectively. AHR was evaluated with the constant-phase model in response to inhaled aerosolized methacholine. Our results show that Cl2 exposure induced neutrophilia and increased expression of NRF2 mRNA, superoxide dismutase-1, and heme-oxygenase 1. Neutrophil depletion abolished Cl2-induced AHR in large conducting airways and prevented increases in antioxidant gene expression and NRF2 nuclear translocation. Exogenous hypochlorite administration resulted in increased NRF2 nuclear translocation in vitro. After Cl2 exposure, neutrophils occupied 22 ± 7% of the luminal space in large airways. IL-17 in BAL was increased after Cl2, although this effect was not prevented by neutrophil depletion. Neither depletion of eosinophils nor macrophages prevented Cl2-induced AHR. Our data suggest the ability of neutrophils to promote Cl2-induced AHR is dependent on increases in oxidative stress and occupation of luminal space in large airways.
Exposure to chlorine (Cl2) causes airway injury, characterized by oxidative damage, an influx of inflammatory cells and airway hyperresponsiveness. We hypothesized that Cl2-induced airway injury may ...be attenuated by antioxidant treatment, even after the initial injury.
Balb/C mice were exposed to Cl2 gas (100 ppm) for 5 mins, an exposure that was established to alter airway function with minimal histological disruption of the epithelium. Twenty-four hours after exposure to Cl2, airway responsiveness to aerosolized methacholine (MCh) was measured. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed to determine inflammatory cell profiles, total protein, and glutathione levels. Dimethylthiourea (DMTU;100 mg/kg) was administered one hour before or one hour following Cl2 exposure.
Mice exposed to Cl2 had airway hyperresponsiveness to MCh compared to control animals pre-treated and post-treated with DMTU. Total cell counts in BAL fluid were elevated by Cl2 exposure and were not affected by DMTU treatment. However, DMTU-treated mice had lower protein levels in the BAL than the Cl2-only treated animals. 4-Hydroxynonenal analysis showed that DMTU given pre- or post-Cl2 prevented lipid peroxidation in the lung. Following Cl2 exposure glutathione (GSH) was elevated immediately following exposure both in BAL cells and in fluid and this change was prevented by DMTU. GSSG was depleted in Cl2 exposed mice at later time points. However, the GSH/GSSG ratio remained high in chlorine exposed mice, an effect attenuated by DMTU.
Our data show that the anti-oxidant DMTU is effective in attenuating Cl2 induced increase in airway responsiveness, inflammation and biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Airway colonization by the mold Aspergillus fumigatus is common in patients with underlying lung disease and is associated with chronic airway inflammation. Studies probing the inflammatory response ...to colonization with A. fumigatus hyphae have been hampered by the lack of a model of chronic colonization in immunocompetent mice. By infecting mice intratracheally with conidia embedded in agar beads (Af beads), we have established an in vivo model to study the natural history of airway colonization with live A. fumigatus hyphae. Histopathological examination and galactomannan assay of lung homogenates demonstrated that hyphae exited beads and persisted in the lungs of mice up to 28 days postinfection without invasive disease. Fungal lesions within the airways were surrounded by a robust neutrophilic inflammatory reaction and peribronchial infiltration of lymphocytes. Whole-lung cytokine analysis from Af bead-infected mice revealed an increase in proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines early in infection. Evidence of a Th2 type response was observed only early in the course of colonization, including increased levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), elevated IgE levels in serum, and a mild increase in airway responsiveness. Pulmonary T cell subset analysis during infection mirrored these results with an initial transient increase in IL-4-producing CD4(+) T cells, followed by a rise in IL-17 and Foxp3(+) cells by day 14. These results provide the first report of the evolution of the immune response to A. fumigatus hyphal colonization.
Activated CD4 T cells connect to airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) in vitro via lymphocyte-derived membrane conduits (LMCs) structurally similar to membrane nanotubes with unknown intercellular ...signals triggering their formation. We examined the structure and function of CD4 T cell-derived LMCs, and we established a role for ASMC-derived basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2b) and FGF receptor (FGFR)1 in LMC formation. Blocking FGF2b's synthesis and FGFR1 function reduced LMC formation. Mitochondrial flux from ASMCs to T cells was partially FGF2b and FGFR1 dependent. LMC formation by CD4 T cells and mitochondrial transfer from ASMCs was increased in the presence of asthmatic ASMCs that expressed more mRNA for FGF2b compared with normal ASMCs. These observations identify ASMC-derived FGF2b as a factor needed for LMC formation by CD4 T cells, affecting intercellular communication.
PDF
