Alveolar epithelial type II (AT2) cells secrete pulmonary surfactant via lamellar bodies (LBs). Abnormalities in LBs are associated with pulmonary disorders, including fibrosis. However, high-content screening (HCS) for LB abnormalities is limited by the lack of understanding of AT2 cell functions. In the present study, we have developed LB cells harboring LB-like organelles that secrete surfactant proteins. These cells were more similar to AT2 cells than to parental A549 cells. LB cells recapitulated amiodarone (AMD)-induced LB enlargement, similar to AT2 cells of patients exposed to AMD. To reverse AMD-induced LB abnormalities, we performed HCS of approved drugs and identified 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), a cyclic oligosaccharide, as a potential therapeutic agent. A transcriptome analysis revealed that HPβCD modulates lipid homeostasis. In addition, HPβCD inhibited AMD-induced LB abnormalities in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived AT2 cells. Our results demonstrate that LB cells are useful for HCS and suggest that HPβCD is a candidate therapeutic agent for AMD-induced interstitial pneumonia.
Keywords: 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin; alveolar epithelial type 2 cells; amiodarone; high-content screening; lamellar bodies.