title: Distribution of phenotypically disparate myocyte subpopulations in airway smooth muscle.
abstract: Phenotype and functional heterogeneity of airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells in vitro is well known, but there is limited understanding of these features in vivo. We tested whether ASM is composed of myocyte subsets differing in contractile phenotype marker expression. We used flow cytometry to compare smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (smMHC) and smooth muscle-alpha-actin (sm-alpha-actin) abundance in myocytes dispersed from canine trachealis. Based on immunofluorescent intensity and light scatter characteristics (forward and 90 degrees side scatter), 2 subgroups were identified and isolated. Immunoblotting confirmed smMHC and sm-alpha-actin were 10- and 5-fold greater, respectively, in large, elongate myocytes that comprised approximately 60% of total cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed similar phenotype heterogeneity in human bronchial smooth muscle. Canine tracheal myocyte subpopulations isolated by flow cytometry were used to seed primary subcultures. Proliferation of subcultures established with myocytes exhibiting low levels of smMHC and sm-alpha-actin was approximately 2 x faster than subcultures established with ASM cells with a high marker protein content. These studies demonstrate broad phenotypic heterogeneity of myocytes in normal ASM tissue that is maintained in cell culture, as demonstrated by divergent proliferative capacity. The distinct roles of these subgroups could be a key determinant of normal and pathological lung development and biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. ahalayk@cc.umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Halayko
authors.forename: Gerald L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Stelmack
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Unruh
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rector
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains