Mitochondrial Rac1 GTPase Import and Electron Transfer from Cytochrome c Are Required for Pulmonary Fibrosis*

Abstract

The generation of reactive oxygen species, particularly H₂O₂, from alveolar macrophages is causally related to the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Rac1, a small GTPase, is known to increase mitochondrial H₂O₂ generation in macrophages; however, the mechanism by which this occurs is not known. This study shows that Rac1 is localized in the mitochondria of alveolar macrophages from asbestosis patients, and mitochondrial import requires the C-terminal cysteine of Rac1 (Cys-189), which is post-translationally modified by geranylgeranylation. Furthermore, H₂O₂ generation mediated by mitochondrial Rac1 requires electron transfer from cytochrome c to a cysteine residue on Rac1 (Cys-178). Asbestos-exposed mice harboring a conditional deletion of Rac1 in macrophages demonstrated decreased oxidative stress and were significantly protected from developing pulmonary fibrosis. These observations demonstrate that mitochondrial import and direct electron transfer from cytochrome c to Rac1 modulates mitochondrial H₂O₂ production in alveolar macrophages pulmonary fibrosis.