title: Mucus secretion and cytoskeletal modifications in cultured nasal epithelial cells exposed to wall shear stresses.
abstract: The nasal epithelium is continuously subjected to wall shear stresses (WSS) induced by respiratory airflows. An in vitro experimental model was developed to expose nasal epithelial cells cultured under air-liquid interface conditions to steady airflow-induced WSS. Mucus secretion from epithelial goblet cells was quantified using an enzyme-linked lectinosorbent assay, and modifications of the cytoskeletal structure were qualitatively evaluated from fluorescent stains of actin and beta-tubulin fibers. The results show increased mucus secretion from cells subjected to WSS of 0.1 and 1.0 dyne/cm(2) for more than 15 min in comparison with unstressed cells. The integrity levels of beta-tubulin fibers were significantly lower in cells subjected to WSS than in unstressed cells. The increased mucus secretion in response to WSS was approximately the same in Taxol-free and Taxol-treated cultures, which indicates that there is no direct connection between beta-tubulin fragmentation and mucus secretion. The stressed cells regained their normal cytoskeletal appearance 24 h after the exposure to WSS. The results of this study suggest that WSS have an important role in the mechanical regulation of the nasal surface epithelium function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. nuritet@eng.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Nurit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Even-Tzur
authors.forename: Yoel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kloog
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012119:Respiration