AUTHOR=Huang Jia-Qi , Zhang Hao , Guo Xue-Wei , Lu Yan , Wang Si-Nian , Cheng Bo , Dong Su-He , Lyu Xiao-Li , Li Feng-Sheng , Li Yong-Wang TITLE=Mechanically Activated Calcium Channel PIEZO1 Modulates Radiation-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Forming a Positive Feedback With TGF-β1 JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences VOLUME=8 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2021.725275 DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2021.725275 ISSN=2296-889X ABSTRACT=
TGF-β-centered epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key process involved in radiation-induced pulmonary injury (RIPI) and pulmonary fibrosis. PIEZO1, a mechanosensitive calcium channel, is expressed in myeloid cell and has been found to play an important role in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Whether PIEZO1 is related with radiation-induced EMT remains elusive. Herein, we found that PIEZO1 is functional in rat primary type II epithelial cells and RLE-6TN cells. After irradiation, PIEZO1 expression was increased in rat lung alveolar type II epithelial cells and RLE-6TN cell line, which was accompanied with EMT changes evidenced by increased TGF-β1, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Fibronectin, and α-SMA expression and decreased E-cadherin expression. Addition of exogenous TGF-β1 further enhanced these phenomena