Redox Biology (Oct 2023)

Gene deletion of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4 attenuates xenobiotic chemical-induced lung injury via the suppression of lipid peroxidation

  • Yuki Tomitsuka,
  • Hiroki Imaeda,
  • Haruka Ito,
  • Isaki Asou,
  • Masayuki Ohbayashi,
  • Fumihiro Ishikawa,
  • Hiroshi Kuwata,
  • Shuntaro Hara

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 66
p. 102850

Abstract

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Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSL) 4 converts polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) into their acyl-CoAs and plays an important role in maintaining PUFA-containing membrane phospholipids. Here we demonstrated decreases in various kinds of PUFA-containing phospholipid species in ACSL4-deficient murine lung. We then examined the effects of ACSL4 gene deletion on lung injury by treating mice with two pulmonary toxic chemicals: paraquat (PQ) and methotrexate (MTX). The results showed that ACSL4 deficiency attenuated PQ-induced acute lung lesion and decreased mortality. PQ-induced lung inflammation and neutrophil migration were also suppressed in ACSL4-deficient mice. PQ administration increased the levels of phospholipid hydroperoxides in the lung, but ACSL4 gene deletion suppressed their increment. We further found that ACSL4 deficiency attenuated MTX-induced pulmonary fibrosis. These results suggested that ACSL4 gene deletion might confer protection against pulmonary toxic chemical-induced lung injury by reducing PUFA-containing membrane phospholipids, leading to the suppression of lipid peroxidation. Inhibition of ACSL4 may be promising for the prevention and treatment of chemical-induced lung injury.

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