Arsenic upregulates MMP-9 and inhibits wound repair in human airway epithelial cells.: "

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Arsenic upregulates MMP-9 and inhibits wound repair in human airway epithelial cells.

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2008 Aug;295(2):L293-302

Authors: Olsen CE, Liguori AE, Zong Y, Lantz RC, Burgess JL, Boitano S

As part of the innate immune defense, the polarized conducting lung epithelium acts as a barrier to keep particulates carried in respiration from underlying tissue. Arsenic is a metalloid toxicant that can affect the lung via inhalation or ingestion. We have recently shown that chronic exposure of mice or humans to arsenic (10-50 ppb) in drinking water alters bronchiolar lavage or sputum proteins consistent with reduced epithelial cell migration and wound repair in the airway. In this report, we used an in vitro model to examine effects of acute exposure of arsenic (15-290 ppb) on conducting airway lung epithelium. We found that arsenic at concentrations as low as 30 ppb inhibits reformation of the epithelial monolayer following scrape wounds of monolayer cultures. In an effort to understand functional contributions to epithelial wound repair altered by arsenic, we showed that acute arsenic exposure increases activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, an important protease in lung function. Furthermore, inhibition of MMP-9 in arsenic-treated cells improved wound repair. We propose that arsenic in the airway can alter the airway epithelial barrier by restricting proper wound repair in part through the upregulation of MMP-9 by lung epithelial cells.

PMID: 18539681 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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The membrane repair response masks membrane disturbances caused by cell-penetrating peptide uptake.

FASEB J. 2008 Sep 11;

Authors: Palm-Apergi C, Lorents A, Padari K, Pooga M, Hällbrink M

Although cell-penetrating peptides are able to deliver cargo into cells, their uptake mechanism is still not fully understood and needs to be elucidated to improve their delivery efficiency. Herein, we present evidence of a new mechanism involved in uptake, the membrane repair response. Recent studies have suggested that there might be a direct penetration of peptides in parallel with different forms of endocytosis. The direct penetration of hydrophilic peptides through the hydrophobic plasma membrane, however, is highly controversial. Three proteins involved in target cell apoptosis-perforin, granulysin, and granzymes-share many features common in uptake of cell-penetrating peptides (e.g., they bind proteoglycans). During perforin uptake, the protein activates the membrane repair response, a resealing mechanism triggered in cells with injured plasma membrane, because of extracellular calcium influx. On activation of the membrane repair response, internal vesicles are mobilized to the site of the disrupted plasma membrane, resealing it within seconds. In this study, we have used flow cytometry, fluorescence, and electron microscopy, together with high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, to present evidence that the membrane repair response is able to mask damages caused during cell-penetrating peptide uptake, thus preventing leakage of endogenous molecules out of the cell.-Palm-Apergi, C., Lorents, A., Padari, K., Pooga, M., and Hällbrink, M. The membrane repair response masks membrane disturbances caused by cell-penetrating peptide uptake.

PMID: 18787109 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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