Effect of hypo-, iso- and hypertonic saline irrigation on secretory mucins and morphology of cultured human nasal epithelial cells.
CONCLUSIONS
We speculate that isotonic saline is the most physiological irrigation solution in terms of mucus secretion and the cellular morphology of nasal epithelial cells.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the most physiologic and effective saline concentration for nasal irrigation in terms of mucus secretion and cellular morphology by using normal human nasal epithelial cells treated with hypo-, iso- and hypertonic saline.


METHODS
Fully differentiated passage-2 normal human nasal epithelial cells were treated with pure water and with 0.3% (hypotonic), 0.9% (isotonic) and 3% (hypertonic) saline solutions. mRNA expression levels of MUC5AC and MUC5B, which are known to be major airway mucins, were analyzed after 30 min using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Total mucin and MUC5AC and MUC5B mucin secretions were analyzed using dot-blotting. Cellular morphology was observed with light microscopy after hematoxylin-eosin staining and with scanning electron microscopy.


RESULTS
MUC5AC and MUC5B mRNA levels did not change after treatment with pure water and various concentrations of saline. Total mucin and MUC5AC mucin secretions only increased following pure water treatment, while MUC5B mucin secretion increased with pure water, hypo- and hypertonic saline treatment. Morphologic analysis revealed that pure water severely damaged normal human nasal epithelial cells and that only isotonic saline did not affect their morphology.
Kim
Chang-Hoon
CH
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Hyun Song
Mee
M
Eun Ahn
Young
Y
Lee
Jeung-Gweon
JG
Yoon
Joo-Heon
JH
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009077:Mucins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000494:pharmacology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D009077:Mucins; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D012965:Sodium Chloride