title: Electrophysiological properties of the airway: epithelium in the murine, ovalbumin model of allergic airway disease.
abstract: The electrophysiological properties of cultured tracheal cells (CTCs) were examined in a murine (C57BL/6J), ovalbumin (OVA)-induced model of allergic airway disease (AAD) at early (3-day OVA-aerosol) and peak (10-day OVA-aerosol) periods of inflammation. Transepithelial potential difference, short-circuit current (Isc), and resistance (RT) were lower in CTCs from 10-day OVA-aerosol animals compared to CTCs from naïve mice. In cells cultured for 5 weeks, RT was greater in naive CTCs than in 10-day OVA-aerosol CTCs at all times (P < 0.01). The Isc response to mucosal amiloride (10(-4) mol/L) was increased in CTCs from 10-day OVA-aerosol mice compared to naïve mice (6.0 +/- 0.37 microA/cm2 versus 1.8 +/- 0.56 microA/cm2; P < 0.001) with intermediate values for CTCs from 3-day OVA-aerosol mice. The cAMP-induced increase in Isc was blunted in 10-day OVA-aerosol animals compared to CTCs from naïve mice (9 +/- 12% versus 39 +/- 7%; P < 0.01) with intermediate values for CTCs from 3-day OVA-aerosol mice. There was no difference in mannitol flux in naïve compared to 10-day OVA-aerosol CTCs. Similar results were found using intact tracheas mounted in a perfusion chamber. These data demonstrate changes in airway epithelial cell function in the OVA-induced model of AAD that may contribute to the pathogenesis of airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA. mclouit@ccmckids.org
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cloutier
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guernsey
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Roger S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Thrall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002713:Chlorine / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology*; D008353:Mannitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008353:Mannitol; D002713:Chlorine; D000242:Cyclic AMP