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We previously demonstrated that the neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) 2 is the sole sphingomyelinase activated during cigarette smoke (CS)-induced oxidative stress of human airway epithelial cells, leading to ceramide generation and subsequent apoptosis of affected cells. Since then, we reported that nSMase2 is a phosphoprotein, the degree of enzymatic activity and stability of which are dictated by its degree of phosphorylation. Simultaneously, the non-receptor tyrosine kinase and proto-oncogene Src has increasingly become a target of interest in both smoking-related lung injury, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Within this context, we tested and now present Src as a regulator of ceramide generation via modulation of nSMase2 phosphorylation and activity during CS-induced oxidative stress. Specifically, we provide evidence that Src activity is necessary for both CS-induced ceramide accumulation in vivo (129/Sv mice) and in vitro (human airway epithelial cells) and for nSMase2 activity during CS-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, because nSMase2 is exclusively phosphorylated on serines, we show that this occurs through Src-dependent activation of the serine/threonine kinase p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase during oxidative stress. Finally, we provide evidence that Src and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activities are critical for regulating nSMase2 phosphorylation. This study provides insights into a molecular target involved in smoking-related lung injury, represented here as nSMase2, and its modulation by the oncogene Src.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is caused by exposure to cigarette smoke (CS). One mechanism of CS-induced lung injury is aberrant generation of ceramide, which leads to elevated apoptosis of epithelial and endothelial cells in the alveolar spaces. Recently, we discovered that CS-induced ceramide generation and apoptosis in pulmonary cells is governed by neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) 2. In the current experiments, we expanded our studies to investigate whether nSMase2 governs ceramide generation and apoptosis in vivo using rodent and human models of CS-induced lung injury. We found that exposure of mice or rats to CS leads to colocalizing elevations of ceramide levels and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated X-dUTP nick end labeling-positive cells in lung tissues. These increases are nSMase2 dependent, and are abrogated by treatment with N-acetyl cysteine or anti-nSMase2 small interfering RNA (siRNA). We further showed that mice that are heterozygous for nSMase2 demonstrate significant decrease in ceramide generation after CS exposure, whereas acidic sphingomyelinase (aSMase) knockout mice maintain wild-type ceramide levels, confirming our previous findings (in human airway epithelial cells) that only nSMase2, and not aSMase, is activated by CS exposure. Lastly, we found that lung tissues from patients with emphysema (smokers) display significantly higher levels of nSMase2 expression compared with lung tissues from healthy control subjects. Taken together, these data establish the central in vivo role of nSMase2 in ceramide generation, aberrant apoptosis, and lung injury under CS exposure, underscoring its promise as a novel target for the prevention of CS-induced airspace destruction.

Cigarette smoke has been connected to an array of chronic lung diseases and is a major source of morbidity and mortality. Active smoking is responsible for approximately 90% of lung cancer cases. In addition, cigarette smoke is associated with other chronic pulmonary diseases such as pulmonary edema, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary emphysema, the last two also termed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung cancer and COPD are developed very frequently in chronic cigarette smokers. It has been known for some time that lung cancer incidence increases in patients with COPD. Even the existence of some low-grade emphysema without noticeable airflow obstruction is associated with significantly elevated risk of lung cancer. These recent clinical insights demand new thinking and exploration of novel mechanistic studies to fully understand these observations. Lung injury and repair involve cell death and hyperplasia of airway epithelial cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. All of these occur simultaneously. The mechanisms of cell death and hyperplasia in the lung constitute two sides of the coin of lung injury and repair. However, most molecular studies in airway epithelial cells center on the mechanism(s) of either cell growth and proliferation or cell death and the ceramide-generating machinery that drives aberrant induction of apoptotic cell death. Very few address both sides of the coin as an outcome of cigarette smoke exposure, which is the focus of this review.