Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells

Abstract Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are central effectors of type 2 immune responses in the lung; however, how mechanical cues regulate their function remains unclear. Here, we identified the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 as a key regulator of ILC2 effector function through translat...

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Main Authors: MinYeong Lim, Seonjun Park, Yoon Ha Joo, Sung Eun Kim, Min Hee Ham, TaeSoo Kim, Kihyuck Kwak, Sung Joon Kim, Jung Chan Lee, Sung Ho Park, Hye Young Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-08-01
Series:Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02350-4
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author MinYeong Lim
Seonjun Park
Yoon Ha Joo
Sung Eun Kim
Min Hee Ham
TaeSoo Kim
Kihyuck Kwak
Sung Joon Kim
Jung Chan Lee
Sung Ho Park
Hye Young Kim
author_facet MinYeong Lim
Seonjun Park
Yoon Ha Joo
Sung Eun Kim
Min Hee Ham
TaeSoo Kim
Kihyuck Kwak
Sung Joon Kim
Jung Chan Lee
Sung Ho Park
Hye Young Kim
author_sort MinYeong Lim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are central effectors of type 2 immune responses in the lung; however, how mechanical cues regulate their function remains unclear. Here, we identified the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 as a key regulator of ILC2 effector function through translational control. Piezo1 is highly expressed in murine and human ILC2s, and its activation by mechanical stress or the Piezo1 agonist, Yoda1 induces calcium influx, triggering mTOR signaling and selectively enhancing IL-13 protein production. Conditional deletion of Piezo1 in ILC2s reduced mTOR activation and puromycin incorporation, leading to impaired protein synthesis and attenuated lung inflammation and fibrosis in the IL-33, Alternaria alternata, and bleomycin models. scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq confirmed that Piezo1-deficient ILC2s retained Il13 transcription and chromatin accessibility but presented translational suppression, as evidenced by protein‒mRNA interactions. Pharmacologic mTOR inhibition phenocopied Piezo1 loss, supporting the functional relevance of the Piezo1–mTOR axis. These findings demonstrate that Piezo1 functions as a mechanosensor that integrates biomechanical cues to regulate cytokine output via mTOR-mediated translation. Targeting Piezo1 signaling or its downstream effectors may provide therapeutic benefits in type 2 inflammation–associated lung diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-ef905384e6204966b2cb99913eea91e52025-08-24T11:54:00ZengNature Publishing GroupSignal Transduction and Targeted Therapy2059-36352025-08-0110111510.1038/s41392-025-02350-4Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cellsMinYeong Lim0Seonjun Park1Yoon Ha Joo2Sung Eun Kim3Min Hee Ham4TaeSoo Kim5Kihyuck Kwak6Sung Joon Kim7Jung Chan Lee8Sung Ho Park9Hye Young Kim10Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of MedicineDepartment of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Graduate School, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Yonsei UniversityDepartment of Life Science, Multitasking Macrophage Research Center, Ewha Womans UniversityDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Yonsei UniversityDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of MedicineAbstract Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are central effectors of type 2 immune responses in the lung; however, how mechanical cues regulate their function remains unclear. Here, we identified the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 as a key regulator of ILC2 effector function through translational control. Piezo1 is highly expressed in murine and human ILC2s, and its activation by mechanical stress or the Piezo1 agonist, Yoda1 induces calcium influx, triggering mTOR signaling and selectively enhancing IL-13 protein production. Conditional deletion of Piezo1 in ILC2s reduced mTOR activation and puromycin incorporation, leading to impaired protein synthesis and attenuated lung inflammation and fibrosis in the IL-33, Alternaria alternata, and bleomycin models. scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq confirmed that Piezo1-deficient ILC2s retained Il13 transcription and chromatin accessibility but presented translational suppression, as evidenced by protein‒mRNA interactions. Pharmacologic mTOR inhibition phenocopied Piezo1 loss, supporting the functional relevance of the Piezo1–mTOR axis. These findings demonstrate that Piezo1 functions as a mechanosensor that integrates biomechanical cues to regulate cytokine output via mTOR-mediated translation. Targeting Piezo1 signaling or its downstream effectors may provide therapeutic benefits in type 2 inflammation–associated lung diseases.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02350-4
spellingShingle MinYeong Lim
Seonjun Park
Yoon Ha Joo
Sung Eun Kim
Min Hee Ham
TaeSoo Kim
Kihyuck Kwak
Sung Joon Kim
Jung Chan Lee
Sung Ho Park
Hye Young Kim
Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
title Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
title_full Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
title_fullStr Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
title_full_unstemmed Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
title_short Piezo1-mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity, function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
title_sort piezo1 mediated mechanotransduction regulates the translational activity function and lung pathogenicity of group 2 innate lymphoid cells
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02350-4
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