Effect of human epididymis protein 4 on hyperoxia-induced bronchial dysplasia in newborn rats

The study aimed to elucidate the role and the underlying mechanism of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) in the pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced bronchial dysplasia in newborn rats.

Forty neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated into two groups: a normal control group (20.8% oxygen concentration) and a hyperoxia-induced group (85% oxygen concentration). Three time intervals of 24 h, 3 days and 7 days were chosen for each group. Haematoxylin-eosin staining was used to identify the pathological alterations in the lung tissue of the SD rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to evaluate plasma protein levels. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine messenger RNA (mRNA) expression.

In newborn SD rats, hyperoxia intervention within 7 days may result in acute lung damage. In the plasma and tissue of newborn SD rats, hyperoxia induction may raise levels of HE4, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) 1. We discovered that the HE4 protein activates the phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) and p65, activates the downstream MMP9 signalling pathway, inhibits MMP9 mRNA expression, inhibits protein activity, reduces type I collagen degradation, increases collagen secretion and promotes matrix remodelling and fibrosis in neonatal rat primary alveolar type II epithelial cells by overexpressing and silencing the HE4 gene.

Through the ERK, MMP9 and TIMP1 signalling pathways, HE4 mediates the pathophysiological process of hyperoxia-induced lung damage in rats. Lung damage and lung basal remodelling are mediated by HE4 overexpression.