BACKGROUND: Everolimus (EVE) is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTOR-I) widely used in transplantation that may determine some severe adverse events, including pulmonary fibrosis. The pathogenic mechanism of mTOR-I-associated pulmonary toxicity is still unclear, but epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of bronchial/pulmonary cells may play a role. METHODS: Three cell lines-human type II pneumocyte-derived A549, normal bronchial epithelial, and bronchial epithelial homozygous for the delta F508 cystic fibrosis-causing mutation-were treated with EVE or tacrolimus at different concentrations. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate mRNA and protein levels of EMT markers (alpha-SMA, vimentin, fibronectin). Subsequently, in 13 EVE- and 13 tacrolimus-treated patients we compared the rate of lung fibrosis, estimated by an arbitrary pulmonary fibrosis index score (PFIS). RESULTS: Biomolecular experiments demonstrated that high doses of EVE (100 nM) up-regulated EMT markers in all cell lines at both gene- and protein level. High concentrations of EVE were also able to reduce the mRNA levels of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and ZO-1) and to induce the phosphorylation of AKT. In the in vivo part of the study, PFIS was significantly higher in the EVE-group than the tacrolimus-group (p = 0.03) and correlated with trough levels (R2 = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal, for the first time, a dose-dependent EVE-induced EMT in airway cells. They suggest that clinicians should employ, wherever possible, low dosages of mTOR-Is in transplant recipients, assessing periodically their pulmonary function.

Tomei, P., Masola, V., Granata, S., Bellin, G., Carratù, P., Ficial, M., Ventura, V. A., Onisto, M., Resta, O., Gambaro, G., Chilosi, M., Lupo, A., Zaza, G., Everolimus-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bronchial/pulmonary cells: when the dosage does matter in transplantation, <<JN. JOURNAL OF NEPHROLOGY>>, 2016; (N/A): N/A-N/A. [doi:10.1007/s40620-016-0295-4] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/83281]

Everolimus-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bronchial/pulmonary cells: when the dosage does matter in transplantation

Gambaro, Giovanni;
2016

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Everolimus (EVE) is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTOR-I) widely used in transplantation that may determine some severe adverse events, including pulmonary fibrosis. The pathogenic mechanism of mTOR-I-associated pulmonary toxicity is still unclear, but epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of bronchial/pulmonary cells may play a role. METHODS: Three cell lines-human type II pneumocyte-derived A549, normal bronchial epithelial, and bronchial epithelial homozygous for the delta F508 cystic fibrosis-causing mutation-were treated with EVE or tacrolimus at different concentrations. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate mRNA and protein levels of EMT markers (alpha-SMA, vimentin, fibronectin). Subsequently, in 13 EVE- and 13 tacrolimus-treated patients we compared the rate of lung fibrosis, estimated by an arbitrary pulmonary fibrosis index score (PFIS). RESULTS: Biomolecular experiments demonstrated that high doses of EVE (100 nM) up-regulated EMT markers in all cell lines at both gene- and protein level. High concentrations of EVE were also able to reduce the mRNA levels of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and ZO-1) and to induce the phosphorylation of AKT. In the in vivo part of the study, PFIS was significantly higher in the EVE-group than the tacrolimus-group (p = 0.03) and correlated with trough levels (R2 = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal, for the first time, a dose-dependent EVE-induced EMT in airway cells. They suggest that clinicians should employ, wherever possible, low dosages of mTOR-Is in transplant recipients, assessing periodically their pulmonary function.
2016
Inglese
Tomei, P., Masola, V., Granata, S., Bellin, G., Carratù, P., Ficial, M., Ventura, V. A., Onisto, M., Resta, O., Gambaro, G., Chilosi, M., Lupo, A., Zaza, G., Everolimus-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bronchial/pulmonary cells: when the dosage does matter in transplantation, <<JN. JOURNAL OF NEPHROLOGY>>, 2016; (N/A): N/A-N/A. [doi:10.1007/s40620-016-0295-4] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/83281]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/83281
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