TGF-β1介导的RhoA/ROCK通路在大鼠肺肌成纤维细胞分化中的调节作用

 目的：探讨转化生长因子β1 (TGF-β1)介导的RhoA/Rho相关卷曲螺旋形成蛋白激酶(ROCK)通路在调控肺成纤维细胞向肌成纤维细胞分化过程中的作用。方法：胰酶消化法获得原代培养的肺成纤维细胞，进行以下实验：(1) 观察TGF-β1诱导肺成纤维细胞不同时间后p-RhoA、ROCK、磷酸化肌球蛋白磷酸酶靶亚基(p-MBS)、血清应答因子(SRF)、α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)、I型和III型胶原蛋白表达变化；(2) 将细胞分为对照组、TGF-β1诱导分化组和Y-27632（ROCK通路阻滞剂）干预组，免疫细胞化学染色与Western blotting法分别观察与检测ROCK、p-MBS、SRF、α-SMA、I型和III型胶原蛋白在细胞内的定位分布与表达。结果：（1）经TGF-β1诱导24 h后，大鼠肺成纤维细胞胞体内出现大量平行或交叉排列的α-SMA抗体标记的肌丝。随着TGF-β1诱导刺激时间的延长，p-RhoA、ROCK、p-MBS、SRF、α-SMA、I型和III型胶原蛋白表达逐渐增高，其中RhoA/ROCK信号（p-RhoA、ROCK、p-MBS）、SRF和α-SMA蛋白分别在诱导后6 h、12 h和24 h达到高峰。I型胶原和III型胶原蛋白表达均在24 h达高峰，分别为诱导前的2.19和3.04倍（P<0.05）。 (2)与TGF-β1诱导分化组比较，当给予Y-27632干预后，在相应时点ROCK、p-MBS、SRF、α-SMA、I型和III型胶原蛋白表达均明显降低，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论：TGF-β1通过ROCK信号转导通路的活化，刺激了大鼠肺成纤维细胞向肌成纤维细胞分化，进而促进了胶原蛋白的合成，可能在（矽）肺纤维化形成过程中发挥着重要作用。

Regulation of rat pulmonary fibroblasts differentiation into myofibroblasts though RhoA/ROCK pathway mediated by TGF-β1

AIM：To investigate the regulatory effect of RhoA/Rho-associated coiled-coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK) pathway mediated by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) on the differentiation of pulmonary fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. METHODS：Primarily cultured fibroblasts were obtained by trypsin digestion from the lung of neonatal rats. The fibroblasts were stimulated with TGF-β1 for different durations and were divided into control group, TGF-β1 induction group and Y-27632 treatment group. The distribution and expression of p-RhoA, ROCK, phosphorylated myosin binding subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase (p-MBS), serum response factor (SRF), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA),type I collagen and type Ⅲ collagen in the cells were detected by the methods of immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS：A lot of parallel and cross arranged filaments labeled by α-SMA antibody appeared in the cells after TGF-β1 stimulation. The cultured cells stimulated with TGF-β1 were all myofibroblasts at 24 h determined by immunocytochemistry. The expression levels of p-RhoA, ROCK, p-MBS, SRF, α-SMA and type I and type III collagens were increased gradually with the extension of TGF-β1 stimulation time. The expression of RhoA/ROCK signaling protein in the cells stimulated with TGF-β1 (peaking at 6 h of exposure) was 2.96 folds higher as compared with the non-stimulated cells. The expression of SRF protein (peaking at 12 h of TGF-β1 exposure) was 4.55 folds higher as compared with the non-sti-mulated cells. The expression levels of α-SMA and type I and type III collagens (peaking at 24 h of TGF-β1 exposure) were 4.06 folds, 2.19 folds and 3.04 folds higher as compared with the non-stimulated cells， respectively.  Compared with TGF-β1 induction group, the protein expression levels of ROCK, p-MBS, SRF, α-SMA and type I and type III collagens were significantly decreased at the corresponding time points in Y-27632 treatment group. CONCLUSION：TGF-β1 induces the differentiation of pulmonary fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, and then promotes the synthesis of collagen through the activation of ROCK pathway, which possibly plays an important role in the formation of pulmonary fibrosis.