YAP activity protects against endotoxemic acute lung injury by activating multiple mechanisms

The roles of the Hippo‑Yes‑associated protein (YAP) pathway in lung injury and repair remain elusive. The present study examined the effects of systemic inhibition or stimulation of YAP activity on lung injury, repair and inflammation in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced lung injury. Mice were treated with or without YAP inhibitor, verteporfin, or with or without YAP stimulator, XMU‑MP‑1, and intraperitoneally injected with LPS (7.5 mg/kg). Lung injury and repair were evaluated by histological analysis and by testing for markers of lung injury. Lung inflammation was assessed by measuring tissue levels of inflammatory mediators. Lung injury was associated with a decreased, whereas lung repair was associated with an increased YAP activity evidenced by nuclear translocation. Lung injury was associated with a high level of lung inflammation and epithelial adherens junction disassembly, but not with cell proliferation or epithelial cell regeneration. The injury phase was defined as 0‑48 h post‑LPS injection, and the 48‑168 h time period was considered the repair phase. Inhibition of YAP activity at the injury phase, using verteporfin, exacerbated, whereas its stimulation, using XMU‑MP‑1, alleviated lung injury, lung inflammation and epithelial adherens junction disassembly. Inhibition or stimulation of YAP activity at the injury phase had no effects on cell proliferation or epithelial regeneration. By contrast, lung repair was associated with inflammation resolution, increased cell proliferation, epithelial regeneration and reassembly of epithelial adherens junctions. Inhibition of YAP activity at the repair phase delayed inflammation resolution, impeded lung recovery, inhibited cell proliferation and epithelial regeneration, and inhibited epithelial adherens junction reassembly. Stimulation of YAP activity at the repair phase reversed all these processes. The results of the current study demonstrated that the Hippo‑YAP activity serves a protective role against endotoxemic lung injury. The Hippo‑YAP activity alleviated lung inflammation and injury at the injury phase and promoted inflammation resolution and lung repair at the repair phase.