Nasal epithelial cells can act as a physiological surrogate for paediatric asthma studies.
BACKGROUND
Differentiated paediatric epithelial cells can be used to study the role of epithelial cells in asthma. Nasal epithelial cells are easier to obtain and may act as a surrogate for bronchial epithelium in asthma studies. We assessed the suitability of nasal epithelium from asthmatic children to be a surrogate for bronchial epithelium using air-liquid interface cultures.


METHODS
Paired nasal and bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic children (n = 9) were differentiated for 28 days under unstimulated and IL-13-stimulated conditions. Morphological and physiological markers were analysed using immunocytochemistry, transepithelial-electrical-resistance, Quantitative Real-time-PCR, ELISA and multiplex cytokine/chemokine analysis.


RESULTS
Physiologically, nasal epithelial cells from asthmatic children exhibit similar cytokine responses to stimulation with IL-13 compared with paired bronchial epithelial cells. Morphologically however, nasal epithelial cells differed significantly from bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic patients under unstimulated and IL-13-stimulated conditions. Nasal epithelial cells exhibited lower proliferation/differentiation rates and lower percentages of goblet and ciliated cells when unstimulated, while exhibiting a diminished and varied response to IL-13.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that morphologically, nasal epithelial cells would not be a suitable surrogate due to a significantly lower rate of proliferation and differentiation of goblet and ciliated cells. Physiologically, nasal epithelial cells respond similarly to exogenous stimulation with IL-13 in cytokine production and could be used as a physiological surrogate in the event that bronchial epithelial cells are not available.
Paediatric Department, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia.
Surendran
S
Thavagnanam
Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Jeremy C
JC
Parker
Department of Anaesthetics, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Michael E
ME
McBrien
Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Grzegorz
G
Skibinski
Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom ; Department of Paediatrics, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Michael D
MD
Shields
Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Liam G
LG
Heaney
D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines