Nuclear factor-κB mediates the phenotype switching of airway smooth muscle cells in a murine asthma model

Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) phenotype modulation, characterized by reversible switching between contractile and proliferative phenotypes, is considered to contribute to airway proliferative diseases such as allergic asthma. Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) has been reported as a key regulator for the occurrence and development of asthma. However, little is known regarding its role in ASM cell phenotypic modulation. To elucidate the role of NF-κB in regulating ASM cells phenotypic modulation, we investigated the effects of NF-κB on ASM cells contractile marker protein expression, and its impact on proliferation and apoptosis. We found that chronic asthma increased the activation of NF-κB in the primary murine ASM cells with a concomitant marked decrease in the expression of contractile phenotypic marker protein including smooth muscle alpha-actin (α-SMA). Additionally, we used the normal ASM cells under different processing to build the phenotype switching when we found the activation of NF-κB. Meanwhile, the expression of α-SMA in asthma was significantly increased by the NF-κB blocker. NF-κB blocker also suppressed asthma mouse ASM cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. These findings highlight a novel role for the NF-κB in murine ASM cell phenotypic modulation and provide a potential target for therapeutic intervention for asthma.