Abstract

Pulmonary inflammation compromises lung barrier function and underlies many lung diseases including acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, mechanisms by which lung cells respond to the damage caused by the inflammatory insults are not completely understood. Here we show that Fzd6-deficiency in Foxj1+ ciliated cells reduces pulmonary permeability, lipid peroxidation, and alveolar cell death accompanied with an increase in alveolar number in lungs insulted by LPS or a mouse coronavirus. Single-cell RNA sequencing of lung cells indicates that the lack of Fzd6, which is expressed in Foxj1+ cells, increases expression of the aldo-keto reductase Akr1b8 in Foxj1+ cells. Intratracheal administration of the Akr1b8 protein phenocopies Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes. In addition, ferroptosis inhibitors also phenocopy Fzd6-deficient lung phenotypes and exert no further effects in Fzd6-deficient lungs. These results reveal an important mechanism for protection of alveolar cells from ferroptotic death during pulmonary inflammation by Foxj1+ ciliated cells via paracrine action of Akr1b8.