YKL-40 mediates airway remodeling in asthma via activating FAK and MAPK signaling pathway
Authors: Ge Li
Feng Yang
Bing Liu
Hao Tang
Xian&#x27;Gui Li
Yu Sun
Zhaoquan Shi
Journal: Cell Cycle (2020)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: FAK and MAPK; YKL-40; airway remodeling; asthma.
Affiliations: Insititute of Burn Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Liqun Hospital, Shanghai, China, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

Abstract:  YKL-40 is a chitinase-like protein which was significantly elevated in asthma patients and related closely to asthma severity and airway remodeling. Airway remodeling in asthma involves complicated physical and pathological processes, including increased airway smooth muscle mass due to proliferation, migration of airway smooth muscle cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and sub-epithelial fibrosis. However, the precise effect and underlying mechanism of YKL-40 in this pathological alteration remained unelucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that YKL-40 could promote asthma airway remodeling by increasing airway smooth muscle mass, inducing EMT and sub-epithelial fibrosis. Furthermore, we identified that FAK and MAPK signaling pathways are activated in the process. Inhibiting FAK or MAPK pathway could significantly ameliorate airway remodeling induced by excessive secretion of YKL-40 in vitro. and in vivo. In conclusion, this study shed light upon the effects of YKL-40 in asthma airway remodeling and provided potential novel targets in asthma patients with high YKL-40 level. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 2  C. Transwell migration assays of BSMCs treated with YKL-40 at indicated concentration or vehicle control for 12 hours. ... E. Transwell migration assays of YKL-40 overexpressing and control BSMCs for 12 hours. Two panels overlap, as marked.  If the labels are to believed, the first occurrence of the panel shows control BSMCS, while the second shows BSMCs that were transfected with Lentivirus Green Fluorescent Protein. Perhaps the labels are in error. Could the authors check? , 
 Thanks for the kind reminding. We have checked the raw pictures and this is an exact picture misuse. The picture marked above belongs to the control BSMC which did not receive YKL-40 treatment. Then BSMC was infected with GFP lentivirus to be the control group of the BSMC Lv-YKL-40 group. The migration ability of BSMC had no change after the GFP lentivirus infection and the amount of migrated BSMC was almost the same as the untreated BSMC group. Still, we misused the pictures and this is all of our fault. We are trying to corrected the mistake. Again, we appreciate your reminding. , 
 #1 Thanks for the kind reminding. We have checked the raw pictures and this is an exact picture misuse. The picture marked above belongs to the control BSMC which did not receive YKL-40 treatment. Then BSMC was infected with GFP lentivirus to be the control group of the BSMC Lv-YKL-40 group. The migration ability of BSMC had no change after the GFP lentivirus infection and the amount of migrated BSMC was almost the same as the untreated BSMC group. Still, we misused the pictures and this is all of our fault. We are trying to corrected the mistake. Again, we appreciate your reminding. , 
 #3 I appreciate the rapid response! ,