β-Catenin signaling is required for TGF-β1-induced extracellular matrix production by airway smooth muscle cells.

Chronic inflammatory airway diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are characterized by airway remodeling with altered extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Transforming growth factor-β(1) (TGF-β(1)) is upregulated in asthma and COPD and contributes to tissue remodeling in the airways by driving ECM production by structural cells, including airway smooth muscle. In this study, we investigated the activation of β-catenin signaling and its contribution to ECM production by airway smooth muscle cells in response to TGF-β(1). Stimulation of airway smooth muscle cells with TGF-β(1) resulted in a time-dependent increase of total and nonphosphorylated β-catenin protein expression via induction of β-catenin mRNA and inhibition of GSK-3. In addition, the TGF-β(1)-induced β-catenin activated TCF/LEF-dependent gene transcription, as determined by the β-catenin sensitive TOP-flash luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, TGF-β(1) stimulation increased mRNA expression of collagen Iα1, fibronectin, versican, and PAI-1. Pharmacological inhibition of β-catenin by PKF115-584 or downregulation of β-catenin expression by specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) substantially inhibited TGF-β(1)-induced expression of the ECM genes. Fibronectin protein deposition by airway smooth muscle cells in response to TGF-β(1) was also inhibited by PKF115-584 and β-catenin siRNA. Moreover, transfection of airway smooth muscle cells with a nondegradable β-catenin mutant (S33Y β-catenin) was sufficient for inducing fibronectin protein expression. Collectively, these findings indicate that β-catenin signaling is activated in response to TGF-β(1) in airway smooth muscle cells, which is required and sufficient for the regulation of ECM protein production. Targeting β-catenin-dependent gene transcription may therefore hold promise as a therapeutic intervention in airway remodeling in both asthma and COPD.