[HTML][HTML] Transient gene transfer and expression of Smad7 prevents bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice

A Nakao, M Fujii, R Matsumura… - The Journal of …, 1999 - Am Soc Clin Investig
A Nakao, M Fujii, R Matsumura, K Kumano, Y Saito, K Miyazono, I Iwamoto
The Journal of clinical investigation, 1999Am Soc Clin Investig
TGF-β plays an important role in lung fibrosis, which is a major cause of suffering and death
seen in pulmonary disease. Smad7 has been recently identified as an antagonist of TGF-β
signaling. To investigate whether this novel molecule can be exploited for therapy of lung
fibrosis, we determined the effect of exogenous Smad7, introduced by a recombinant human
type 5 adenovirus vector, on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. C57BL/6 mice with
bleomycin-induced lungs received an intratracheal injection of a recombinant adenovirus …
TGF-β plays an important role in lung fibrosis, which is a major cause of suffering and death seen in pulmonary disease. Smad7 has been recently identified as an antagonist of TGF-β signaling. To investigate whether this novel molecule can be exploited for therapy of lung fibrosis, we determined the effect of exogenous Smad7, introduced by a recombinant human type 5 adenovirus vector, on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. C57BL/6 mice with bleomycin-induced lungs received an intratracheal injection of a recombinant adenovirus carrying mice Smad7 cDNA. These mice demonstrated suppression of type I precollagen mRNA, reduced hydroxyproline content, and no morphological fibrotic responses in the lungs when compared with mice administered adenovirus carrying Smad6 cDNA. In addition, we found that expression of Smad7 transgene blocked Smad2 phosphorylation induced by bleomycin in mouse lungs. These data indicated that gene transfer of Smad7 (but not Smad6) prevented bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, suggesting that Smad7 may have applicability in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation