# Sbno2-mediated tissue-resident alveolar macrophages: a novel therapeutic axis for sepsis-induced acute lung injury

**Authors:** Jingyu Dai, Zhihai Wu, Jiayi Zhong, Xiaolong Wu, Yibin Liu, Qin Yang, Li Li, Shuyao Zhang, Junyong Zhong

PMC · DOI: 10.1038/s41420-025-02772-7 · Cell Death Discovery · 2026-01-05

## TL;DR

This study identifies Sbno2-expressing alveolar macrophages as key players in lung repair during sepsis-induced lung injury, suggesting a new treatment approach.

## Contribution

The study reveals Sbno2-expressing tissue-resident alveolar macrophages as a novel therapeutic target for sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

## Key findings

- Sbno2-expressing alveolar macrophages promote alveolar epithelial cell regeneration and barrier function.
- Recombinant Sbno2 administration in a mouse model reduced lung injury and restored barrier function.
- Knockout of Sbno2 impaired alveolar epithelial cell proliferation and lung barrier integrity.

## Abstract

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical clinical condition characterized by severe inflammation and alveolar epithelial barrier disruption, with limited effective treatments. Our study investigates the role of Sbno2-expressing tissue-resident alveolar macrophages (TR-AMs) in promoting alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) regeneration and barrier function in sepsis-induced ALI. Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we identified significant upregulation of Sbno2 in TR-AMs, which correlated with enhanced AEC proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Functional assays demonstrated that Sbno2-expressing TR-AMs substantially supported alveolar structure regeneration in both in vitro and in vivo models. Knockout of Sbno2 in TR-AMs impaired AEC proliferation and compromised lung barrier integrity. Therapeutic administration of recombinant Sbno2 (rSbno2) in a sepsis-induced ALI mouse model alleviated lung injury, promoted AEC proliferation, and restored barrier function, highlighting Sbno2 as a potential therapeutic target for ALI. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of lung repair in sepsis-induced ALI and suggest that enhancing Sbno2 expression in TR-AMs could be a promising strategy for improving outcomes in patients with ALI.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** SBNO2 (strawberry notch homolog 2) [NCBI Gene 22904]
- **Diseases:** acute lung injury (MONDO:0006502)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (taxon 10090)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** SBNO2 (strawberry notch homolog 2) [NCBI Gene 22904] {aka KIAA0963, SNO, STNO}, F2R (coagulation factor II thrombin receptor) [NCBI Gene 2149] {aka CF2R, HTR, PAR-1, PAR1, TR}
- **Diseases:** ALI (MESH:D055371), inflammation (MESH:D007249), lung injury (MESH:D055370), Sepsis (MESH:D018805)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

11 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12876955/full.md

## References

15 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12876955/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12876955