2025
B-cell immune repertoire sequencing in tobacco cigarette smoking, vaping, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the COPDGene cohort
Moll M, Xu Z, Boueiz A, Ryu M, Silverman E, Cho M, Hersh C, Sauler M, Polverino F, Kinney G, Curtis J, Crotty-Alexander L, Vollmers C, Castaldi P. B-cell immune repertoire sequencing in tobacco cigarette smoking, vaping, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the COPDGene cohort. Frontiers In Immunology 2025, 16: 1508786. PMID: 40386772, PMCID: PMC12082042, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1508786.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB cell activationB cell functionB cellsCigarette smokingClonal expansionClass switchingB cell clonal expansionImpaired B-cell functionIncreased B cell activationImpact of e-cigarette useSecretory IgA productionB cell receptor sequencesTobacco cigarette smokingChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseE-cigarette useImmune repertoire sequencingIncreased infection riskObstructive pulmonary diseaseBCR-seqResponse to infectionBlood RNA samplesAssessed multivariable associationsBenjamini-Hochberg methodDual usersMultiple alterationsCigarette smoke induces angiogenic activation in the cancer field through dysregulation of an endothelial microRNA
Korde A, Ramaswamy A, Anderson S, Jin L, Zhang J, Hu B, Velasco W, Diao L, Wang J, Pisani M, Sauler M, Boffa D, Puchalski J, Yan X, Moghaddam S, Takyar S. Cigarette smoke induces angiogenic activation in the cancer field through dysregulation of an endothelial microRNA. Communications Biology 2025, 8: 511. PMID: 40155749, PMCID: PMC11953391, DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07710-y.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
COPD-iNET: a call to the lung community for action to combat the global epidemic of COPD.
Yildirim A, Conlon T, Adcock I, Gosens R, Lehmann M, Kapellos T, Tesfaigzi Y, Polverino F, Sauler M, Wasnick R, Neptune E. COPD-iNET: a call to the lung community for action to combat the global epidemic of COPD. European Respiratory Journal 2024, 64: 2400921. PMID: 39326903, DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00921-2024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpatial Transcriptomics Resolve an Emphysema-Specific Lymphoid Follicle B Cell Signature in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Rojas-Quintero J, Ochsner S, New F, Divakar P, Yang C, Wu T, Robinson J, Chandrashekar D, Banovich N, Rosas I, Sauler M, Kheradmand F, Gaggar A, Margaroli C, San Jose Estepar R, McKenna N, Polverino F. Spatial Transcriptomics Resolve an Emphysema-Specific Lymphoid Follicle B Cell Signature in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2024, 209: 48-58. PMID: 37934672, PMCID: PMC10870877, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202303-0507le.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseB cell activationObstructive pulmonary diseaseLymphoid folliclesCell activationPulmonary diseaseGOLD 1Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 1Chronic B-cell activationB cell signaturesDegree of emphysemaB cell marker genesB cell maturationSevere emphysemaAntiinflammatory profileEmphysema measurementsTomographic scanLung sectionsAntigen presentationGOLD 3Centrilobular emphysemaImmune componentsEmphysema pathogenesisEmphysemaLung samples
2023
A statistical framework to identify cell types whose genetically regulated proportions are associated with complex diseases
Liu W, Deng W, Chen M, Dong Z, Zhu B, Yu Z, Tang D, Sauler M, Lin C, Wain L, Cho M, Kaminski N, Zhao H. A statistical framework to identify cell types whose genetically regulated proportions are associated with complex diseases. PLOS Genetics 2023, 19: e1010825. PMID: 37523391, PMCID: PMC10414598, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010825.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCell typesDisease-associated tissuesWide association studyComplex diseasesCell type proportionsDisease-relevant tissuesReal GWAS dataFunctional genesTranscriptomic dataGWAS dataGenetic dataAssociation studiesNovel statistical frameworkChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseStatistical frameworkObstructive pulmonary diseaseIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisBreast cancer riskType proportionsBlood CD8Pulmonary diseasePulmonary fibrosisPredictive biomarkersLung tissueBreast cancerVISTA (PD-1H) Is a Crucial Immune Regulator to Limit Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Kim S, Adams T, Hu Q, Shin H, Chae G, Lee S, Sharma L, Kwon H, Lee F, Park H, Huh W, Manning E, Kaminski N, Sauler M, Chen L, Song J, Kim T, Kang M. VISTA (PD-1H) Is a Crucial Immune Regulator to Limit Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal Of Respiratory Cell And Molecular Biology 2023, 69: 22-33. PMID: 36450109, PMCID: PMC10324045, DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2022-0219oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisImmune regulatorsTherapeutic potentialHuman idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisCrucial immune regulatorsNovel immune regulatorPulmonary fibrosis micePulmonary fibrosis modelNovel therapeutic targetRole of VISTAWild-type littermatesMonocyte-derived macrophagesT lymphocyte lineageVISTA expressionIPF treatmentAntibody treatmentImmune landscapeFibrotic mediatorsLung fibrosisFibrosis miceInflammatory responseFibrosis modelMyeloid populationsTherapeutic targetTaking Small Airways in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to TASC
Sauler M, Hackett T. Taking Small Airways in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to TASC. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2023, 207: 1114-1115. PMID: 36821491, PMCID: PMC10161754, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202302-0295ed.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
A lung targeted miR-29 mimic as a therapy for pulmonary fibrosis
Chioccioli M, Roy S, Newell R, Pestano L, Dickinson B, Rigby K, Herazo-Maya J, Jenkins G, Ian S, Saini G, Johnson SR, Braybrooke R, Yu G, Sauler M, Ahangari F, Ding S, DeIuliis J, Aurelien N, Montgomery RL, Kaminski N. A lung targeted miR-29 mimic as a therapy for pulmonary fibrosis. EBioMedicine 2022, 85: 104304. PMID: 36265417, PMCID: PMC9587275, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104304.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisNon-human primatesPulmonary fibrosisAnimal modelsPro-fibrotic genesAnti-fibrotic efficacyMiR-29 mimicsHuman peripheral bloodMiR-29b levelsHuman lung fibroblastsIPF patientsIPF diagnosisPeripheral bloodReduced fibrosisAdverse findingsPotential therapyLung slicesTGF-β1Relevant dosesLung fibroblastsNIH-NHLBIFibrosisTherapyCollagen productionProfibrotic gene programMIF is a common genetic determinant of COVID-19 symptomatic infection and severity
Shin JJ, Fan W, Par-Young J, Piecychna M, Leng L, Israni-Winger K, Qing H, Gu J, Zhao H, Schulz WL, Unlu S, Kuster J, Young G, Liu J, Ko AI, Garcia A, Sauler M, Wisnewski AV, Young L, Orduña A, Wang A, Klementina O, Garcia AB, Hegyi P, Armstrong ME, Mitchell P, Ordiz DB, Garami A, Kang I, Bucala R. MIF is a common genetic determinant of COVID-19 symptomatic infection and severity. QJM 2022, 116: 205-212. PMID: 36222594, PMCID: PMC9620729, DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcac234.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMacrophage migration inhibitory factorLow-expression MIF alleleCOVID-19 infectionMIF allelesCATT7 alleleHealthy controlsCOVID-19Serum macrophage migration inhibitory factorSymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infectionHigh-expression MIF allelesHigher serum MIF levelsRetrospective case-control studySARS-CoV-2 infectionFunctional polymorphismsAvailable clinical characteristicsMultinational retrospective studySerum MIF levelsUninfected healthy controlsSymptomatic COVID-19Tertiary medical centerHealthy control subjectsCase-control studyMigration inhibitory factorCoronavirus disease 2019Common functional polymorphismsLung Spatial Profiling Reveals a T Cell Signature in COPD Patients with Fatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Yang CX, Tomchaney M, Landecho MF, Zamacona BR, Oto M, Zulueta J, Malo J, Knoper S, Contoli M, Papi A, Vasilescu DM, Sauler M, Straub C, Tan C, Martinez FD, Bhattacharya D, Rosas IO, Kheradmand F, Hackett TL, Polverino F. Lung Spatial Profiling Reveals a T Cell Signature in COPD Patients with Fatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Cells 2022, 11: 1864. PMID: 35740993, PMCID: PMC9220844, DOI: 10.3390/cells11121864.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseCOPD patientsLung parenchymaFatal SARS-CoV-2 infectionsMemory CD4 T cell responsesPre-existing lung diseaseCD4 T cell responsesSARS-CoV-2 infectionSARS-CoV-2 entryMemory T cell differentiationSARS-CoV-2 disease 2019Obstructive pulmonary diseaseT cell responsesT-cell signatureCOVID-19 infectionCOVID-19T cell differentiationAntigen primingMemory CD4Pulmonary diseaseControl lungsImmune microenvironmentLung diseaseT cellsT lymphocytesUntargeted metabolomics analysis of esophageal squamous cell cancer progression
Yang T, Hui R, Nouws J, Sauler M, Zeng T, Wu Q. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of esophageal squamous cell cancer progression. Journal Of Translational Medicine 2022, 20: 127. PMID: 35287685, PMCID: PMC8919643, DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03311-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEsophageal squamous cell carcinomaPhosphatidylserine synthase 1Metabolic pathway genesGene Set Enrichment AnalysisESCC progressionMetabolic pathwaysGlycerophospholipid metabolismPathway genesTumor/node/metastasis stageStage IIMRNA expressionSquamous cell cancer progressionSquamous cell carcinomaKey metabolic pathwaysAdjacent cancerous tissuePotential therapeutic targetCharacteristic curve analysisGood diagnostic valueTandem mass spectrometry analysisCancer Genome AtlasKyoto EncyclopediaMass spectrometry analysisExpression heatmapsPathway databasesPoor prognosisSex differences and altered mitophagy in experimental pulmonary hypertension
Bazan IS, Kim SJ, Ardito TA, Zhang Y, Shan P, Sauler M, Lee P. Sex differences and altered mitophagy in experimental pulmonary hypertension. American Journal Of Physiology - Lung Cellular And Molecular Physiology 2022, 322: l761-l769. PMID: 35137625, PMCID: PMC9076415, DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00019.2020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPulmonary hypertensionPathogenesis of PHFemale-predominant diseaseRight heart failurePulmonary arterial pressureExperimental pulmonary hypertensionMitochondrial dysfunctionLung endothelial cellsSex differencesMouse lung endothelial cellsInhibition of ParkinArterial pressureHeart failurePulmonary arteryMitochondrial respiratory capacityPoor outcomeHigh prevalenceSevere diseaseAnimal modelsEndothelial cellsParkin expressionOxidative stressCell proliferationHypertensionSexCharacterization of the COPD alveolar niche using single-cell RNA sequencing
Sauler M, McDonough JE, Adams TS, Kothapalli N, Barnthaler T, Werder RB, Schupp JC, Nouws J, Robertson MJ, Coarfa C, Yang T, Chioccioli M, Omote N, Cosme C, Poli S, Ayaub EA, Chu SG, Jensen KH, Gomez JL, Britto CJ, Raredon MSB, Niklason LE, Wilson AA, Timshel PN, Kaminski N, Rosas IO. Characterization of the COPD alveolar niche using single-cell RNA sequencing. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 494. PMID: 35078977, PMCID: PMC8789871, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28062-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSingle-cell RNA sequencingRNA sequencingCell-specific mechanismsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseAdvanced chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseTranscriptomic network analysisSingle-cell RNA sequencing profilesCellular stress toleranceAberrant cellular metabolismStress toleranceRNA sequencing profilesTranscriptional evidenceCellular metabolismAlveolar nicheSequencing profilesHuman alveolar epithelial cellsChemokine signalingAlveolar epithelial type II cellsObstructive pulmonary diseaseSitu hybridizationType II cellsEpithelial type II cellsSequencingCOPD pathobiologyHuman lung tissue samplesEpidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition Is Protective in Hyperoxia‐Induced Lung Injury
Harris ZM, Sun Y, Joerns J, Clark B, Hu B, Korde A, Sharma L, Shin HJ, Manning EP, Placek L, Unutmaz D, Stanley G, Chun H, Sauler M, Rajagopalan G, Zhang X, Kang MJ, Koff JL. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition Is Protective in Hyperoxia‐Induced Lung Injury. Oxidative Medicine And Cellular Longevity 2022, 2022: 9518592. PMID: 36193076, PMCID: PMC9526641, DOI: 10.1155/2022/9518592.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute lung injuryEpidermal growth factor receptorAlveolar epithelial cellsLung injurySevere hyperoxiaEGFR inhibitionEpithelial cellsHyperoxia-Induced Lung InjuryRole of EGFRMurine alveolar epithelial cellsGrowth factor receptor inhibitionWorse clinical outcomesEpidermal growth factor receptor inhibitionHuman alveolar epithelial cellsWild-type littermatesPoly (ADP-ribose) polymeraseTerminal dUTP nickGrowth factor receptorClinical outcomesImproved survivalReceptor inhibitionLung repairProtective roleComplex roleEGFR deletionCharacterization of pulmonary vascular remodeling and MicroRNA-126-targets in COPD-pulmonary hypertension
Goel K, Egersdorf N, Gill A, Cao D, Collum S, Jyothula S, Huang H, Sauler M, Lee P, Majka S, Karmouty-Quintana H, Petrache I. Characterization of pulmonary vascular remodeling and MicroRNA-126-targets in COPD-pulmonary hypertension. Respiratory Research 2022, 23: 349. PMID: 36522710, PMCID: PMC9756782, DOI: 10.1186/s12931-022-02267-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSmall pulmonary arteriesChronic cigarette smokingPulmonary vascular remodelingPulmonary hypertensionPulmonary arteryLung microvasculatureVascular remodelingEndothelial cellsCOPD-PHMiR126 expressionChronic obstructive pulmonary disease patientsObstructive pulmonary disease patientsCOPD pulmonary hypertensionPulmonary artery sizePulmonary artery remodelingPulmonary disease patientsPulmonary vascular bedPulmonary arterial wallEndothelial cell marker CD31Microvascular endothelial cellsEndothelial cell markersVessel endothelial cellsNon-COPD lungsLarge vessel endothelial cellsArtery remodeling
2021
Leveraging ageing models of pulmonary fibrosis: the efficacy of nintedanib in ageing
Kato K, Shin YJ, Palumbo S, Papageorgiou I, Hahn S, Irish JD, Rounseville SP, Krafty RT, Wollin L, Sauler M, Hecker L. Leveraging ageing models of pulmonary fibrosis: the efficacy of nintedanib in ageing. European Respiratory Journal 2021, 58: 2100759. PMID: 34531276, PMCID: PMC8613836, DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00759-2021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEfficacy of nintedanibIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisAged miceLung fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisElderly patientsLung functionPre-clinical efficacy studiesAged animal modelsIPF clinical trialsVital capacity declineAverage patient ageVehicle-treated miceVehicle-treated groupEffect of nintedanibSeverity of fibrosisDevelopment of fibrosisTotal lung collagenSimilar extentNintedanib treatmentLung injuryPatient ageIPF diagnosisClinical efficacyFibrosis severityMetformin: Experimental and Clinical Evidence for a Potential Role in Emphysema Treatment.
Polverino F, Wu TD, Rojas-Quintero J, Wang X, Mayo J, Tomchaney M, Tram J, Packard S, Zhang D, Cleveland KH, Cordoba-Lanus E, Owen CA, Fawzy A, Kinney GL, Hersh CP, Hansel NN, Doubleday K, Sauler M, Tesfaigzi Y, Ledford JG, Casanova C, Zmijewski J, Konhilas J, Langlais PR, Schnellmann R, Rahman I, McCormack M, Celli B. Metformin: Experimental and Clinical Evidence for a Potential Role in Emphysema Treatment. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2021, 204: 651-666. PMID: 34033525, PMCID: PMC8521702, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202012-4510oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseMetformin useEmphysema progressionEmphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseOxidative stressSmall airway remodelingProtective actionEfficacy of metforminObstructive pulmonary diseaseCigarette smoke inhalationPercentage of emphysemaER stressEndoplasmic reticulum stressEmphysema treatmentAirway remodelingPulmonary diseasePulmonary inflammationAirspace enlargementClinical evidenceLung agingAge-related diseasesSmoke inhalationClinical trialsMuscle injuryMetformin effectsIntegrated Single-Cell Atlas of Endothelial Cells of the Human Lung
Schupp JC, Adams TS, Cosme C, Raredon MSB, Yuan Y, Omote N, Poli S, Chioccioli M, Rose KA, Manning EP, Sauler M, DeIuliis G, Ahangari F, Neumark N, Habermann AC, Gutierrez AJ, Bui LT, Lafyatis R, Pierce RW, Meyer KB, Nawijn MC, Teichmann SA, Banovich NE, Kropski JA, Niklason LE, Pe’er D, Yan X, Homer RJ, Rosas IO, Kaminski N. Integrated Single-Cell Atlas of Endothelial Cells of the Human Lung. Circulation 2021, 144: 286-302. PMID: 34030460, PMCID: PMC8300155, DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.052318.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDifferential expression analysisPrimary lung endothelial cellsLung endothelial cellsCell typesMarker genesExpression analysisSingle-cell RNA sequencing dataCross-species analysisVenous endothelial cellsEndothelial marker genesSingle-cell atlasMarker gene setsRNA sequencing dataEndothelial cellsSubsequent differential expression analysisDifferent lung cell typesResident cell typesLung cell typesCellular diversityEndothelial cell typesCapillary endothelial cellsHuman lung endothelial cellsPhenotypic diversityEndothelial diversityIndistinguishable populationsSPLUNC1: a novel marker of cystic fibrosis exacerbations
Khanal S, Webster M, Niu N, Zielonka J, Nunez M, Chupp G, Slade MD, Cohn L, Sauler M, Gomez JL, Tarran R, Sharma L, Dela Cruz CS, Egan M, Laguna T, Britto CJ. SPLUNC1: a novel marker of cystic fibrosis exacerbations. European Respiratory Journal 2021, 58: 2000507. PMID: 33958427, PMCID: PMC8571118, DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00507-2020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute pulmonary exacerbationsSPLUNC1 levelsCystic fibrosisClinical outcomesCF participantsLong-term disease controlNasal epithelium clone 1Cystic fibrosis exacerbationsHigher AE riskLung function declineCytokines interleukin-1βTumor necrosis factorAE riskClinical worseningPulmonary exacerbationsStable patientsLung functionAirway clearanceFunction declineSputum collectionAcute inflammationInflammatory cytokinesMicrobiology findingsCF careClinical managementSingle-cell characterization of a model of poly I:C-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in severe asthma
Chen A, Diaz-Soto MP, Sanmamed MF, Adams T, Schupp JC, Gupta A, Britto C, Sauler M, Yan X, Liu Q, Nino G, Cruz CSD, Chupp GL, Gomez JL. Single-cell characterization of a model of poly I:C-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in severe asthma. Respiratory Research 2021, 22: 122. PMID: 33902571, PMCID: PMC8074196, DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01709-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeripheral blood mononuclear cellsSevere asthmaEffector T cellsBlood mononuclear cellsT cellsHealthy controlsPoly IDendritic cellsMononuclear cellsUnstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cellsInterferon responseTLR3 agonist poly IImpaired interferon responseMain cell subsetsNatural killer cellsPro-inflammatory profilePro-inflammatory pathwaysC stimulationCyTOF profilingHigh CD8Cell typesEffector cellsKiller cellsCell subsetsMain cell types
This site is protected by hCaptcha and its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply