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Lysine is a Potential Antidote for Paraquat Poisoning Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis
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  • Wenyu Yang,
  • Xiaoxiao Meng,
  • Yong Zhu,
  • Xinrun Ma,
  • Zuoran Cao,
  • Mengmeng Wang,
  • Wentao Dai,
  • Yiming Tao,
  • Xiangdong Jian,
  • Rui Tian,
  • Zhengfeng Yang,
  • Ruilan Wang
Wenyu Yang
Shanghai General Hospital
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Xiaoxiao Meng
Shanghai General Hospital
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Yong Zhu
Shanghai General Hospital
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Xinrun Ma
Shanghai General Hospital
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Zuoran Cao
Shanghai General Hospital
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Mengmeng Wang
Shanghai General Hospital
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Wentao Dai
Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies
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Yiming Tao
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University
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Xiangdong Jian
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University
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Rui Tian
Shanghai General Hospital
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Zhengfeng Yang
Shanghai General Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Ruilan Wang
Shanghai General Hospital
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Abstract

Background and Purpose Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is an irreversible lung disease with little efficient treatments. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in alveolar type II (AT II) cells is an initial process for PF in response to multiple insults. We previously identified paraquat (PQ), inducing acute lung injury and PF, as an agonist for STIM1, promoting STIM1-TRPC1 association for intracellular calcium burden and thus EMT. Here, we investigated the strategy targeting STIM1-TRPC1 association and excessive calcium influx in treating PF. Experimental approach Co-immunoprecipitation was for STIM1-TRPC1 association analysis. Western blotting and Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (QPCR) were for EMT analysis. Calcium imaging, flow cytometry, and luciferase report assay were for analyzing calcium signaling. ELISA, histomorphology, and PQ-poisoned mice or cynomolgus model were for evaluating the efficacy of lysine in treating PF. Retrospective analysis was for analyzing the correlation between the severity of PQ poisoning and blood calcium levels. Key Results Lysine treatment significantly reduces PQ-raised STIM1-TRPC1 association, excessive calcium influx, and thus EMT in AT II cells. As a result, lysine treatment strikingly decreases the mortality of PQ-poisoned mice, with a fully recovery of PQ-induced PF. Immune cells activation, largely occurred accompanied with epithelial damages and PF, are almost normalized with lysine treatment in PQ-poisoned cynomolgus model. A negative correlation between the blood calcium levels and the prognosis were observed in PQ-poisoned patients. Conclusions and Implications These results demonstrate lysine as a potential antidote for PQ-induced PF and provide evidence for maintaining calcium homeostasis as a potential strategy for treating PF.