VEGF Production by Ly6C+high Monocytes Contributes to Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

PLoS One. 2016 Oct 26;11(10):e0165317. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165317. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Background: Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving procedure for patients with acute respiratory failure, although it may cause pulmonary vascular inflammation and leakage, leading to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Ly6C+high monocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of VILI. In this study, we investigated whether pulmonary infiltrated Ly6C+high monocytes produce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and contribute to VILI.

Methods: A clinically relevant two-hit mouse model of VILI, with intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 20 ng/mouse) immediately before high tidal volume (HTV, 20 mL/kg) ventilation (LPS+HTV), was established. Blood gas and respiratory mechanics were measured to ensure the development of VILI. Flow cytometry and histopathological analyses revealed pulmonary infiltration of leukocytes subsets. Clodronate liposomes were intravenously injected to deplete pulmonary monocytes. In vitro endothelial cell permeability assay with sorted Ly6C+high monocytes condition media assessed the role of Ly6C+high monocytes in vascular permeability.

Results: LPS+HTV significantly increased total proteins, TNF-α, IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mononuclear cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Pulmonary Ly6C+high monocytes (SSClowCD11b+F4/80+Ly6C+high), but not Ly6C+low monocytes (SSClowCD11b+F4/80+Ly6C+low), were significantly elevated starting at 4 hr. Clodronate liposomes were able to significantly reduce pulmonary Ly6C+high monocytes, and VEGF and total protein in BALF, and restore PaO2/FiO2. There was a strong correlation between pulmonary Ly6C+high monocytes and BALF VEGF (R2 = 0.8791, p<0.001). Moreover, sorted Ly6C+high monocytes were able to produce VEGF, resulting in an increased permeability of endothelial cell monolayer in an in vitro endothelial cell permeability assay.

Conclusion: VEGF produced by pulmonary infiltrated Ly6C+high monocytes regulates vasculature permeability in a two-hit model of HTV-induced lung injury. Ly6C+high monocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of VILI.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Ly / metabolism*
  • Blood Gas Analysis
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / chemistry
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Monocytes / cytology
  • Monocytes / drug effects
  • Monocytes / metabolism*
  • Neutrophils / cytology
  • Neutrophils / drug effects
  • Neutrophils / metabolism
  • Regression Analysis
  • Respiration, Artificial / adverse effects
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*
  • Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury / metabolism
  • Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury / pathology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Ly
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Ly-6C antigen, mouse
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by grants (CMRPG6D0021 and CMRPG6B0091) from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Research Foundation to Tzu-Hsiung Huang, and grant (NSC 010-2314-B-006-053-MY2) from Ministry of Science and Technology (ROC) to Chih-Ching Chang. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.