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MICU1-dependent mitochondrial calcium uptake regulates lung alveolar type 2 cell plasticity and lung regeneration
Mir Ali, Xiaoying Zhang, Ryan LaCanna, Dhanendra Tomar, John W. Elrod, Ying Tian
Mir Ali, Xiaoying Zhang, Ryan LaCanna, Dhanendra Tomar, John W. Elrod, Ying Tian
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Research Article Cell biology Stem cells

MICU1-dependent mitochondrial calcium uptake regulates lung alveolar type 2 cell plasticity and lung regeneration

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Abstract

Lung alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells are progenitors for alveolar type 1 (AT1) cells. Although many factors regulate AT2 cell plasticity, the role of mitochondrial calcium (mCa2+) uptake in controlling AT2 cells remains unclear. We previously identified that the miR-302 family supports lung epithelial progenitor cell proliferation and less differentiated phenotypes during development. Here, we report that a sustained elevation of miR-302 in adult AT2 cells decreases AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation during the Streptococcus pneumoniae–induced lung injury repair. We identified that miR-302 targets and represses the expression of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake 1 (MICU1), which regulates mCa2+ uptake through the mCa2+ uniporter channel by acting as a gatekeeper at low cytosolic Ca2+ levels. Our results reveal a marked increase in MICU1 protein expression and decreased mCa2+ uptake during AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation in the adult lung. Deletion of Micu1 in AT2 cells reduces AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation during steady-state tissue maintenance and alveolar epithelial regeneration after bacterial pneumonia. These studies indicate that mCa2+ uptake is extensively modulated during AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation and that MICU1-dependent mCa2+ uniporter channel gating is a prominent mechanism modulating AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation.

Authors

Mir Ali, Xiaoying Zhang, Ryan LaCanna, Dhanendra Tomar, John W. Elrod, Ying Tian

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Usage data is cumulative from June 2025 through June 2026.

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