Blockade of extracellular heat shock protein 90 alpha by 1G6-D7 attenuates pulmonary fibrosis through inhibiting ERK signaling
AJP Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Published online on August 31, 2017
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by lung fibroblast activation and ECM deposition and has a poor prognosis.Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) participates in organ fibrosis and extracellular Hsp90α (eHsp90α) promotes fibroblast activation and migration. This study aimed to investigate whether a selective anti-Hsp90α monoclonal antibody, 1G6-D7, could attenuate lung fibrosis and whether 1G6-D7 presents protective effect by inactivating profibrotic pathway.Our results showed that eHsp90α was increased in mice with BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis and that 1G6-D7 attenuated inflammation and collagen deposition in the lung. TGF-β1 induced eHsp90α secretion, concomitantly promoting HFL-1 activation and ECM synthesis.1G6-D7-mediated inhibition of eHsp90α significantly blocked these effects,meanwhile inhibiting downstream profibrotic pathways such as ERK, AKT, and P38.Human recombinant (hr)Hsp90α mimicked the effects of TGF-β1, by activating profibrotic pathways and by upregulating LRP-1.Moreover,ERK inhibition effectively blocked the effect of (hr)Hsp90α.In conclusion, 1G6-D7 significantly protects against BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by ameliorating fibroblast activation and ECM production,which may be through blocking ERK signaling. Our results suggest a safer molecular therapy, 1G6-D7, in pulmonary fibrosis.