PM2.5 induces lung inflammation and fibrosis via airway smooth muscle cell expression of the Wnt5a/JNK pathway

Background: In recent years, particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure has been considered a key dangerous factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The dysfunction of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) facilitates lung inflammation and fibrosis in COPD. Therefore, we explored whether PM2.5 could promote the inflammatory response and fibrosis in ASMCs in vivo and in vitro via the wingless-related integration site 5a (Wnt5a)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappa B) pathway.Methods: Wnt5a expression in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of COPD patients exposed to PM2.5 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mice were intratracheally injected with PM2.5 and a Wnt5a antagonist (BOX5). ASMCs were transfected with Wnt5a small interfering RNA (siRNA), BOX5 and the JNK inhibitor SP600125 before PM2.5 stimulation. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to measure the inflammatory response and airway fibrosis. The production of Wnt5a/JNK/NF-KB pathway factors was analyzed by Western blotting. The secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was measured by ELISA. The expression levels of alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), collagen I and collagen III were assessed by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting.Results: We found that the increase in Wnt5a expression in the BALF of COPD patients was positively correlated with the levels of PM2.5 exposure. The Wnt5a/JNK/NF-kappa B pathway was activated in the lung samples of PM2.5-induced model mice and PM2.5-exposed ASMCs, which promoted the production of alpha-SMA, collagen I and collagen III and increased the secretion of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha. Furthermore, our results showed that BOX5 could prevent these effects. Wnt5a siRNA blocked the activation of the Wnt5a/ JNK/NF-kappa B pathway and inhibited the effects of PM2.5 on fibrosis and inflammation in ASMCs. SP600125 blocked the phosphorylation of NF-kappa B and inhibited inflammation and fibrosis in PM2.5-exposed ASMCs.Conclusions: These findings suggest that PM2.5 stimulation of ASMCs induces pulmonary inflammatory factor expression and collagen deposition during COPD via the Wnt5a/JNK pathway, which indicates that modulating the Wnt5a/JNK pathway could be a promising therapeutic strategy for PM2.5-induced COPD.