Emphysema consists of a unique pattern of alveolar wall destruction and there is limited therapy against this disease. Cigarette smoking induces oxidative stress and is the most common cause of pulmonary emphysema. Our application seeks to define the mechanism of DJ-1 pathway impairment in this disease. DJ-1 is a multifunctional protein that protects cells from oxidative stress. This depends on posttranslational modifications of cysteine and methionine residues within DJ-1. Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) and CR6-interacting Factor 1 (CRIF1) have been also proposed as factors, which regulate oxidative stress. DJ-1-CRIF1-KEAP1 interaction induces antioxidant defense systems against alveolar epithelial cell injury by cigarette smoke. We propose to study the mechanism of DJ-1 cytoprotective function against human primary alveolar epithelial cell injury by cigarette smoke in vitro and ex vivo. We will determine oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues within DJ-1 using mass spectrometry analysis. We will use mutant constructs to identify, which oxidizable cysteine and methionine residue(s) are critical for DJ-1 function in protecting against injury induced by cigarette smoke. We will focus on cysteine residue at position 106 (Cys-106), which is a sensor of oxidative stress within DJ-1. To further determine the DJ-1 pathway, we will analyze DJ-1, CRIF1 and KEAP1 interacting domains using deletion constructs. We will also use in our studies alveolar type II cells isolated from patients with mild, moderate and severe emphysema. This unique approach will allow us to identify the mechanism of DJ-1 pathway impairment in emphysema progression. We will validate our results in alveolar type II cells in vivo. Wild-type mice will be exposed to cigarette smoke to determine DJ-1 cysteine and methionine modifications by mass spectrometry under oxidative stress conditions. We will also determine whether adenovirus DJ-1 will rescue of alveolar type II cell injury due to cigarette smoke in DJ-1 knockout mice. Study of the mechanism of the DJ-1 pathway impairment in emphysema may lead to the development of novel pharmacological strategies to slow the progression of this disease.

Public Health Relevance

This project addresses the mechanism of DJ-1 pathway impairment in emphysema. Cigarette smoke induces oxidative stress and is the most common cause of pulmonary emphysema. The pathogenic mechanisms of this disease are still not fully understood and there is limited effective therapy. We will study alveolar epithelial cell injury in patients with mild, moderate and severe emphysema. This unique approach will allow us to determine the mechanism of DJ-1 pathway impairment in emphysema progression. We will focus on posttranslational modifications of cysteine and methionine residues within DJ-1 as a mechanism of its cytoprotective activity and induction of antioxidant defense systems. This study has a clinical importance and can lead to novel therapeutic strategies to slow this disease development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL118171-04
Application #
9108997
Study Section
Lung Cellular, Molecular, and Immunobiology Study Section (LCMI)
Program Officer
Postow, Lisa
Project Start
2014-09-15
Project End
2019-06-30
Budget Start
2017-07-01
Budget End
2018-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Temple University
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
057123192
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19122
Boukhenouna, Samia; Wilson, Mark A; Bahmed, Karim et al. (2018) Reactive Oxygen Species in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018:5730395
Tan, Li Hui; Bahmed, Karim; Lin, Chih-Ru et al. (2018) The cytoprotective role of DJ-1 and p45 NFE2 against human primary alveolar type II cell injury and emphysema. Sci Rep 8:3555
Zemski Berry, Karin A; Murphy, Robert C; Kosmider, Beata et al. (2017) Lipidomic characterization and localization of phospholipids in the human lung. J Lipid Res 58:926-933
Aksoy, Mark O; Kim, Victor; Cornwell, William D et al. (2017) Secretion of the endoplasmic reticulum stress protein, GRP78, into the BALF is increased in cigarette smokers. Respir Res 18:78
Hernández-Saavedra, Daniel; Sanders, Linda; Perez, Mario J et al. (2017) RTP801 Amplifies Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase-4-Dependent Oxidative Stress Induced by Cigarette Smoke. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 56:62-73
Bikkavilli, Rama Kamesh; Zerayesus, Sereke Adam; Van Scoyk, Michelle et al. (2017) K-homology splicing regulatory protein (KSRP) promotes post-transcriptional destabilization of Spry4 transcripts in non-small cell lung cancer. J Biol Chem 292:7423-7434
Bahmed, Karim; Messier, Elise M; Zhou, Wenbo et al. (2016) DJ-1 Modulates Nuclear Erythroid 2-Related Factor-2-Mediated Protection in Human Primary Alveolar Type II Cells in Smokers. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 55:439-49
Kulkarni, Ritwij; Caskey, John; Singh, Sanjay K et al. (2016) Cigarette Smoke Extract-Exposed Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Regulates Leukocyte Function for Pulmonary Persistence. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 55:586-601
Mishra, Rangnath; Foster, Daniel; Vasu, Vihas T et al. (2016) Cigarette Smoke Induces Human Epidermal Receptor 2-Dependent Changes in Epithelial Permeability. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 54:853-64