Open AccessThe cardiac protein αT-catenin contributes to chemical-induced asthma
Author(s) -
Stephen Sai Folmsbee,
Luisa MoralesNebreda,
Jolanda van Hengel,
Koen Tyberghein,
Frans van Roy,
G. R. Scott Budinger,
Paul J. Bryce,
Cara J. Gottardi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
american journal of physiology. lung cellular and molecular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.892
H-Index - 163
eISSN - 1522-1504
pISSN - 1040-0605
DOI - 10.1152/ajplung.00331.2014
Subject(s) - methacholine , bronchoalveolar lavage , asthma , lung , inflammation , medicine , immunology , toluene diisocyanate , bronchial hyperresponsiveness , occupational asthma , knockout mouse , respiratory disease , receptor , chemistry , organic chemistry , polyurethane
Ten to 25% of adult asthma is occupational induced, a subtype caused by exposure to workplace chemicals. A recent genomewide association study identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the cardiac protein αT-catenin (αT-cat) that correlated with the incidence and severity of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) occupational asthma. αT-cat is a critical mediator of cell-cell adhesion and is predominantly expressed in cardiomyocytes, but its connection to asthma remains unknown. Therefore, we sought to determine the primary αT-cat-expressing cell type in the lung and its contribution to lung physiology in a murine model of TDI asthma. We show that αT-cat is expressed in lung within the cardiac sheath of pulmonary veins. Mechanically ventilated αT-cat knockout (KO) mice exhibit a significantly increased pressure-volume curve area compared with wild-type (WT) mice, suggesting that αT-cat loss affects lung hysteresis. Using a murine model of TDI asthma, we find that αT-cat KO mice show increased airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine compared with WT mice. Bronchoalveolar lavage reveals only a mild macrophage-dominant inflammation that is not significantly different between WT and KO mice. These data suggest that αT-cat may contribute to asthma through a mechanism independent of inflammation and related to heart and pulmonary vein dysfunction.