{
  "abstract": "Agricultural industry workers are frequently exposed to harmful dust particles and consequently have a higher risk of developing chronic lung inflammatory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is an innate immune protein with paradoxical roles in both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses at mucosal sites; however, its role in the lung during homeostatic and inflammatory states, such as those induced by inhaled dusts, remain unknown. Here, we investigated the role of LCN-2 in a murine model of organic dust exposure-induced lung inflammation using wildtype C57Bl/6 (WT) and LCN-2 knockout (KO) mice exposed repetitively to extracts of dusts (DE) collected from swine confinement facilities. Repetitive DE exposure consisted of fifteen days of intranasal instillations with and without a three-day recovery period. Through these investigations, we identified an important function of LCN-2 in regulating tissue homeostasis and recovery following inflammatory injury in the lung. Additionally, compartmentalized effects on T cell and macrophage levels were observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) vs. lung tissue in DE-exposed LCN-2 KO mice versus WT mice. Ablation of LCN-2 resulted in deficits in resolving histopathological markers of inflammation, and decreased levels of IL-10 after DE. Exogenous IL-10 administration partially rescued indicators of inflammation in LCN-2 KO mice after DE exposure. Taken together, these investigations highlight a novel role for LCN-2 in regulating lung homeostasis, inflammation response, and repair following organic dust-induced inflammation that may be mediated, at least in part, by IL-10.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America",
    "Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Stephanie Guardado"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Daniel Ojeda-Juárez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Arzu Ulu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Stefanie Sveiven"
    },
    {
      "name": "Edward C. Dominguez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sang Yong Kim"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shaiva Patel"
    },
    {
      "name": "Marcus Kaul"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tara M. Nordgren"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0mef8grbe5k2c.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359338",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "0mef8grbe5k2c",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359338",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Blood cells/White blood cells/Alveolar macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Blood cells/White blood cells/Macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Blood cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/White blood cells/Alveolar macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/White blood cells/Macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Alveolar macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Homeostasis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Signs and symptoms/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Alveolar macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Macrophages"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Radiology and imaging/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials/Dust"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Animal models/Mouse models"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Mouse models"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Mouse models"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-03",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0mef8grbe5k2c.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T12:20:43Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359338",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359338"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The role of lipocalin-2 in lung homeostasis, inflammation response, and recovery following organic dust exposure",
  "title_text": "The role of lipocalin-2 in lung homeostasis, inflammation response, and recovery following organic dust exposure",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-04T12:20:43Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0mef8grbe5k2c",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}