circHIPK2-mediated σ-1R promotes endoplasmic reticulum stress in human pulmonary fibroblasts exposed to silica

Silicosis is characterized by fibroblast accumulation and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Although the roles of SiO2-induced chemokines and cytokines released from alveolar macrophages have received significant attention, the direct effects of SiO2 on protein production and functional changes in pulmonary fibroblasts have been less extensively studied. Sigma-1 receptor, which has been associated with cell proliferation and migration in the central nervous system, is expressed in the lung, but its role in silicosis remains unknown. To elucidate the role of sigma-1 receptor in fibrosis induced by silica, both the upstream molecular mechanisms and the functional effects on cell proliferation and migration were investigated. Both molecular biological assays and pharmacological techniques, combined with functional experiments, such as migration and proliferation, were applied in human pulmonary fibroblasts from adults to analyze the molecular and functional changes induced by SiO2. SiO2 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in association with enhanced expression of sigma-1 receptor. Endoplasmic reticulum stress promoted migration and proliferation of human pulmonary fibroblasts-adult exposed to SiO2, inducing the development of silicosis. Inhibition of sigma-1 receptor ameliorated endoplasmic reticulum stress and fibroblast functional changes induced by SiO2. circHIPK2 is involved in the regulation of sigma-1 receptor in human pulmonary fibroblasts-adult exposed to SiO2. Our study elucidated a link between SiO2-induced fibrosis and sigma-1 receptor signaling, thereby providing novel insight into the potential use of sigma-1 receptor/endoplasmic reticulum stress in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for silicosis treatment.