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Objective To investigate the regulatory effect of wingless gene 7a (Wnt7a) on Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) induced autophagy in alveolar epithelial cells. Methods The alveolar epithelial cells of TC-1 mice were treated with interfering Wnt7a lentivirus and BCG alone or together in four groups, namely, small interfering RNA control (si-NC) group, si-NC combined with BCG group, Wnt7a small interfering RNA (si-Wnt7a) group, and si-Wnt7a combined with BCG group. The expressions of Wnt7a, microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), P62, and autophagy related gene 5 (ATG5) were detected by Western blot analysis, and the distribution of LC3 was detected by immunofluorescence cytochemical staining. Results Compared with those in the si-NC group, Wnt7a, ATG5 and LC3 expressions increased and green fluorescent spots of LC3 significantly increased in the BCG infected TC-1 cells; the expressions of Wnt7a, LC3, P62, and ATG5 and green fluorescent spots of LC3 significantly decreased in the si-Wnt7a combined with BCG group comparing with those in the si-NC combined with BCG group. Conclusion Knocking down Wnt7a inhibits BCG induced autophagy in mouse alveolar epithelial cells.

Objective To investigate the regulation of Wnt5a/receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) signaling pathway on macrophage autophagy induced by Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) infection. Methods RAW264.7 cells were infected with BCG at 0, 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours, and the expressions of Wnt5a, ROR2 and autophagy-related protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3II (LC3II ) were detected by Western blot analysis. After RAW264.7 cells were treated with ROR2 small interfering RNA and BCG infection respectively or together, the protein expressions of autophagy-related genes 5 (ATG5), P62, beclin-1, ATG7 and LC3II in RAW264.7 cells were tested by Western blot analysis. Autophagy flux was detected by mRFP-GFP-LC3 double-label adenovirus assay. Results Compared with the control group, Wnt5a, ROR2 and LC3II had the highest expression in RAW264.7 cells 6 hours after BCG infection. Compared with the non-infected control group, the expressions of autophagy-related proteins ATG5, P62, beclin-1, ATG7 and LC3II showed an increase, along with increased number of autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes in RAW264.7 cells infected with BCG. Compared with BCG infected group, the expressions of the above proteins observed a decrease, and the number of autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes both descended in the co-treatment group with knockdown ROR2 and BCG infection. Conclusion Knockdown of ROR2 can inhibit autophagy in macrophages induced by BCG infection.