CD206 deficiency aggravates paraquat-induced acute lung injury in mice

Paraquat induces acute lung injury characterized by oxidative epithelial damage. To examine the role of CD206, we compared C57BL/6J wild-type and CD206-deficient mice after paraquat exposure. CD206 deficiency increased mortality, body weight loss, bronchoalveolar lavage protein, total cells, histological fibrosis scores, and 8-OHdG levels, together with reduced Hmox1 expression in alveolar macrophages. In co-culture experiments, CD206-deficient monocyte-derived macrophages enhanced epithelial cell death compared with wild-type macrophages, whereas N-acetylcysteine restored epithelial survival. These findings identify a previously unrecognized role for CD206 in macrophage-associated epithelial protection during acute oxidant lung injury.