Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2025 Dec 22;797:153178. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.153178. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fasudil, a well-known selective ROCK inhibitor, is commonly used to treat cerebral vasospasm. Recent research suggests that Fasudil may also have therapeutic potential for lung conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and acute lung injury (ALI). However, the specific mechanisms by which Fasudil protects lung tissues, especially lung epithelial cells, remain unclear.
METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we examined the impact of Fasudil on the viability, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in human lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B and human lung organoids (HLOs) exposed to lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Our results show that Fasudil significantly enhances cell viability, reduces apoptosis, and decreases ROS levels in BEAS-2B cells and HLOs induced by LPS. At the molecular level, Fasudil increases the expression of CLDN4 in these cells and organoids, and the protective effects of Fasudil against LPS-induced damage are diminished in the absence of CLDN4.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings identify CLDN4 as a key mediator of Fasudil's protective effects on lung epithelial cells and organoids, enhancing our understanding of Fasudil's therapeutic mechanisms and highlighting the potential of Fasudil and/or CLDN4-targeted strategies for treating lung conditions like ALI.
PMID:41456351 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.153178