Featured Publications
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor deficiency in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Sauler M, Leng L, Trentalange M, Haslip M, Shan P, Piecychna M, Zhang Y, Andrews N, Mannam P, Allore H, Fried T, Bucala R, Lee PJ. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor deficiency in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. American Journal Of Physiology - Lung Cellular And Molecular Physiology 2014, 306: l487-l496. PMID: 24441872, PMCID: PMC3949087, DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00284.2013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAge FactorsAgedAged, 80 and overAnimalsApoptosisCellular SenescenceCyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21EmphysemaFemaleHumansIntramolecular OxidoreductasesLungMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutMiddle AgedPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveReceptors, ImmunologicSmokeSmokingTobaccoTumor Suppressor Protein p53Young AdultConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseMacrophage migration inhibitory factorPathogenesis of COPDDevelopment of COPDMIF receptor CD74Obstructive pulmonary diseasePulmonary diseaseWT miceReceptor CD74Role of MIFMacrophage migration inhibitory factor deficiencyMigration inhibitory factorNormal alveolar structureMo of ageWild-type controlsMIF concentrationsFormer smokersLung volumePlasma concentrationsSpontaneous emphysemaFactor deficiencyCigarette smokePleiotropic cytokineInhibitory factorAlveolar structuresThe DNA repair transcriptome in severe COPD
Sauler M, Lamontagne M, Finnemore E, Herazo-Maya JD, Tedrow J, Zhang X, Morneau JE, Sciurba F, Timens W, Paré PD, Lee PJ, Kaminski N, Bossé Y, Gomez JL. The DNA repair transcriptome in severe COPD. European Respiratory Journal 2018, 52: 1701994. PMID: 30190272, PMCID: PMC6422831, DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01994-2017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDNA damage toleranceDNA repairInadequate DNA repairSevere chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseRepair pathwaysGene correlation network analysisIntegrative genomics approachNucleotide excision repair pathwayDNA repair pathwaysGene Set Enrichment AnalysisExcision repair pathwayGlobal transcriptomic profilesDNA repair genesDNA repair responseCorrelation network analysisCOPD severityGenomic approachesLung tissue transcriptomeTranscriptomic differencesTranscriptomic changesTranscriptomic patternsRNA sequencingTissue transcriptomesTranscriptomic profilesMicroRNA miR-24-3p reduces DNA damage responses, apoptosis, and susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Nouws J, Wan F, Finnemore E, Roque W, Kim SJ, Bazan IS, Li CX, Sköld C, Dai Q, Yan X, Chioccioli M, Neumeister V, Britto CJ, Sweasy J, Bindra RS, Wheelock ÅM, Gomez JL, Kaminski N, Lee PJ, Sauler M. MicroRNA miR-24-3p reduces DNA damage responses, apoptosis, and susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. JCI Insight 2021, 6: e134218. PMID: 33290275, PMCID: PMC7934877, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.134218.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCellular stress responseStress responseHomology-directed DNA repairDNA damage responseProtein BRCA1Damage responseCellular stressDNA repairProtein BimCOPD lung tissueLung epithelial cellsCellular responsesExpression arraysEpithelial cell apoptosisDNA damageChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseBRCA1 expressionCell apoptosisApoptosisEpithelial cellsCritical mechanismMicroRNAsRegulatorObstructive pulmonary diseaseIncreases SusceptibilityCharacterization 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 samplesCell Death in the Lung: The Apoptosis–Necroptosis Axis
Sauler M, Bazan IS, Lee PJ. Cell Death in the Lung: The Apoptosis–Necroptosis Axis. Annual Review Of Physiology 2018, 81: 1-28. PMID: 30485762, PMCID: PMC6598441, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-020518-114320.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsRegulated cell deathCell deathAutophagic cell deathCell death mechanismsSuperfluous cellsAcute respiratory distress syndromeChronic obstructive pulmonary diseasePulmonary arterial hypertensionIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisObstructive pulmonary diseaseRespiratory distress syndromeDeath mechanismsCellular mechanismsArterial hypertensionDistress syndromePulmonary diseasePulmonary fibrosisPulmonary disordersMajor mechanismDeathNew modalityPathogenesisNecroptosisMechanismApoptosis
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 polymorphismsEpidermal 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 deletionLung 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 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 populations