MiR-424 overexpression protects alveolar epithelial cells from LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation by targeting FGF2 via the NF-κB pathway.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a multifactorial, inflammatory lung injury disease with high morbidity and mortality. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanism remains unknown. In this study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated alveolar epithelial cells were used to mimic the inflammatory pathogenesis of ARDS in vitro. We here investigated the role of miR-424 in LPS-stimulated alveolar epithelial cells and found it to be substantially downregulated. Overexpression of miR-424 inhibited apoptosis and inflammation in LPS-stimulated alveolar epithelial cells, and the miR-424 inhibitor exhibited the opposite effect. A bioinformatic analysis revealed a potential binding site of miR-424 in the 3'-UTR of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). A luciferase reporter assay suggested that miR-424 targeted FGF2 in alveolar epithelial cells. The level of FGF2 protein was inhibited by miR-424 mimic, whereas was significantly upregulated after miR-424 suppression in LPS-stimulated alveolar epithelial cells. MiR-424 also exhibited the protective role in LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation by directly targeting FGF2 via the NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that miR-424 had a protective role in LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells by targeting FGF2 via regulating NF-κB pathway. This might contribute novel evidence to help identify a therapeutic target for treating ARDS.

Deficiency of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) leads to abnormal spermatogenesis and altered sperm physiology.

In previous studies, we described the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and its receptors (FGFRs) in human testis and sperm, which are involved in spermatogenesis and in motility regulation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of FGF-2 in the maintenance of sperm physiology using FGF-2 knockout (KO) mice. Our results showed that in wild-type (WT) animals, FGF-2 is expressed in germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium, in epithelial cells of the epididymis, and in the flagellum and acrosomal region of epididymal sperm. In the FGF-2 KO mice, we found alterations in spermatogenesis kinetics, higher numbers of spermatids per testis, and enhanced daily sperm production compared with the WT males. No difference in the percentage of sperm motility was detected, but a significant increase in sperm concentration and in sperm head abnormalities was observed in FGF-2 KO animals. Sperm from KO mice depicted reduced phosphorylation on tyrosine residues (a phenomenon that was associated with sperm capacitation) and increased acrosomal loss after incubation under capacitating conditions. However, the FGF-2 KO males displayed no apparent fertility defects, since their mating with WT females showed no differences in the time to delivery, litter size, and pup weight in comparison with WT males. Overall, our findings suggest that FGF-2 exerts a role in mammalian spermatogenesis and that the lack of FGF-2 leads to dysregulated sperm production and altered sperm morphology and function. FGF-2-deficient mice constitute a model for the study of the complex mechanisms underlying mammalian spermatogenesis.