Exosomal 15-LO2 mediates hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery hypertension in vivo and in vitro

Cell Death Dis. 2018 Oct 3;9(10):1022. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1073-0.

Abstract

Our previous studies have shown that 15-LO2/15-HETE induced by hypoxia played an important role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH). However, the transportations of 15-LO2/15-HETE among the cells remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the specific involvement of 15-LO2-containing exosomes in the overproliferation of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) induced by hypoxia and the underlying mechanism. In vitro, 15-LO2 was abundantly expressed and enriched in exosomes secreted from hypoxic PAECs, which subsequently activated the STAT3 signaling pathway, resulting in a robust increase in PAECs proliferation. In vivo treatment with the exosomes inhibitor GW4869 protected the pulmonary vascular homeostasis from dysfunctional and abnormal remodeling. Moreover, 15-LO2 was ubiquitinated under hypoxia, and further inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system significantly suppressed PAECs proliferation, suggesting that ubiquitination of 15-LO2 may contribute to its sorting into exosomes. Overall, these findings indicate a previously unrecognized effect of exosomes and the cargo 15-LO2 in pulmonary vascular homeostasis on the pathogenesis of PH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aniline Compounds / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase / metabolism*
  • Benzylidene Compounds / pharmacology
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Exosomes / drug effects
  • Exosomes / metabolism*
  • Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids / pharmacology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / metabolism*
  • Hypoxia / metabolism*
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / drug effects
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Pulmonary Artery / drug effects
  • Pulmonary Artery / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination / drug effects

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • Benzylidene Compounds
  • GW 4869
  • Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids
  • Ubiquitin
  • 15-hydroxy-5,8,11,13-eicosatetraenoic acid
  • Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex