RNA-seq reveals differential gene expression profiles of alveolar type II epithelial cells in young and aged mice lungs

Lung aging triggers the onset of various chronic lung diseases, with alveolar repair being a key focus for alleviating pulmonary conditions. The regeneration of epithelial structures, particularly the differentiation from type II alveolar epithelial (AT2) cells to type I alveolar epithelial (AT1) cells, serves as a prominent indicator of alveolar repair. Nonetheless, the precise role of aging in impeding alveolar regeneration and the underlying mechanism remain to be fully elucidated. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying AT2 cell functional decline during lung aging, we employed transcriptomic techniques to explicit the differences in gene expression between AT2 cells of young (3-month old) and old (24-month old) mouse lungs, and revealed correlation between inflammatory factors and genes regulating proliferation and differentiation. Physiological aging-induced chronic inflammation impairs AT2 cell functions, hindering tissue repair and promoting lung disease progression. This study offers novel insights into chronic inflammation's impact on stem cell-mediated alveolar regeneration.