Smoking p66Shc Knocked Out Mice Develop Respiratory Bronchiolitis with Fibrosis but Not Emphysema

The adaptor protein p66Shc regulates intracellular oxidant levels through the modulation of a forkhead-related transcription factor (FOXO3a). The genetic ablation of p66(Shc) (p66(Shc–/–)) renders mice resistant to oxidative stress and p53-dependent apoptosis. We investigated whether p66(Shc) ablation in mice modifies lung cellular and molecular responses to cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. No differences between wild type (WT) and p66(Shc–/–) mice were observed in terms of inflammation and oxidant burden after acute CS exposure; however,p66(Shc) ablation modifies specific features of chronic inflammation induced by repeated exposure to CS. Unlike WT mice, p66(Shc–/–) mice did not develop emphysema, showing protection toward oxidative damage to DNA and apoptosis as revealed by a trivial 8-hydroxyguanosine staining and faint TUNEL and caspase-3 positivity on alveolar epithelial cells. Unexpectedly, CS exposure in p66(Shc–/–) mice resulted in respiratory bronchiolitis with fibrosis in surrounded alveoli. Respiratory bronchiolitis was characterized by peribronchiolar infiltrates of lymphocytes and histiocytes, accumulation of ageing pigmented macrophages within and around bronchioles, and peribronchiolar fibrosis. The blockage of apoptosis interferes with the macrophage “clearance” from alveolar spaces, favouring the accumulation of aging macrophages into alveoli and the progressive accumulation of iron pigment in long-lived senescent cells. The presence of areas of interstitial and alveolar fibrosis in peripheral parenchyma often accompanied the bronchiolar changes. Macrophages from smoking p66(Shc–/–) mice elaborate M2 cytokines (i.e., IL-4 and IL-13) and enzymes (i.e., chitinase and arginase I), which can promote TGF-beta expression, collagen deposition, and fibrosis in the surrounding areas. We demonstrate here that resistance to oxidative stress and p53-dependent apoptosis can modify tissue responses to CS caused by chronic inflammation without influencing early inflammatory response to CS exposure.