1. Melatonin prevents pulmonary fibrosis caused by PM 2.5 exposure by targeting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
- Author
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Chen PC, Yen MH, Hsiao SY, Kao WC, Wang MT, Chiou PC, and Chao CC
- Subjects
- Animals, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Cell Movement drug effects, Humans, Alveolar Epithelial Cells drug effects, Alveolar Epithelial Cells pathology, Alveolar Epithelial Cells metabolism, Lung drug effects, Lung pathology, Lung metabolism, Antioxidants pharmacology, Antioxidants therapeutic use, Melatonin pharmacology, Melatonin therapeutic use, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition drug effects, Pulmonary Fibrosis prevention & control, Pulmonary Fibrosis chemically induced, Pulmonary Fibrosis pathology, Particulate Matter toxicity
- Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disorder characterized by the accumulation of abnormal extracellular matrix, scar tissue formation, and tissue stiffness. Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEII) play a critical role in repairing lung tissue after injury, and repeated injury to these cells is a key factor in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Chronic exposure to PM
2.5 , a type of air pollution, has been shown to increase the incidence and severity of pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing the activation of EMT in lung epithelial cells. Melatonin, a hormone with antioxidant properties, has been shown to prevent EMT and reduce fibrosis in previous studies. However, the mechanism through which melatonin targets EMT to prevent pulmonary fibrosis caused by PM2.5 exposure has not been extensively discussed before. In this current study, we found that melatonin effectively prevented pulmonary fibrosis caused by prolonged exposure to PM2.5 by targeting EMT. The study demonstrated changes in cellular morphology and expression of EMT markers. Furthermore, the cell migratory potential induced by prolonged exposure to PM2.5 was greatly reduced by melatonin treatment. Finally, in vivo animal studies showed reduced EMT markers and improved pulmonary function. These findings suggest that melatonin has potential clinical use for the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors state no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2024
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