AT2 cell-derived IgA trapped by the extracellular matrix in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease caused by various factors such as exposure to workplace environmental contaminants, drugs, or X-rays. Epithelial cells are among the driving factors of pulmonary fibrosis. Immunoglobulin A (IgA), traditionally thought to be secreted by B cells, is an important immune factor involved in respiratory mucosal immunity. In the current study, we found that lung epithelial cells are involved in IgA secretion, which, in turn, promotes pulmonary fibrosis. Spatial transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing suggest that Igha transcripts were highly expressed in the fibrotic lesion areas of lungs from silica-treated mice. Reconstruction of B-cell receptor (BCR) sequences revealed a new cluster of AT2-like epithelial cells with a shared BCR and high expression of genes related to IgA production. Furthermore, the secretion of IgA by AT2-like cells was trapped by the extracellular matrix and aggravated pulmonary fibrosis by activating fibroblasts. Targeted blockade of IgA secretion by pulmonary epithelial cells may be a potential strategy for treating pulmonary fibrosis.