Potential role of senescent macrophages in radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Cell Death Dis. 2021 May 22;12(6):527. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03811-8.

Abstract

Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) is a late toxicity of therapeutic radiation in clinic with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Previous results have shown that senescent cells, such as fibroblast and type II airway epithelial cell, are strongly implicated in pathology of RIPF. However, the role of senescent macrophages in the development RIPF is still unknown. In this study, we report that ionizing radiation (IR) increase cellular senescence with higher expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) and senescence-specific genes (p16, p21, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xl) in irradiated bone marrow-derived monocytes/macrophages (BMMs). Besides, there's a significant increase in the expression of pro-fibrogenic factors (TGF-β1 and Arg-1), senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) proinflammatory factors (Il-1α, Il-6, and Tnf-α), SASP chemokines (Ccl2, Cxcl10, and Ccl17), and SASP matrix metalloproteinases (Mmp2, Mmp9 and Mmp12) in BMMs exposed to 10 Gy IR. In addition, the percentages of SA-β-Gal+ senescent macrophages are significantly increased in the macrophages of murine irradiated lung tissue. Moreover, robustly elevated expression of p16, SASP chemokines (Ccl2, Cxcl10, and Ccl17) and SASP matrix metalloproteinases (Mmp2, Mmp9, and Mmp12) is observed in the macrophages of irradiated lung, which might stimulate a fibrotic phenotype in pulmonary fibroblasts. In summary, irradiation can induce macrophage senescence, and increase the secretion of SASP in senescent macrophages. Our findings provide important evidence that senescent macrophages might be the target for prevention and treatment of RIPF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cellular Senescence / physiology*
  • Cellular Senescence / radiation effects
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / radiation effects
  • Macrophages / physiology*
  • Macrophages / radiation effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / etiology
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology
  • Radiation Injuries, Experimental / metabolism
  • Radiation Injuries, Experimental / pathology
  • Radiation Pneumonitis / metabolism
  • Radiation Pneumonitis / pathology*
  • Radiation, Ionizing

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines