New publication available about NHBE cells showing metaplastic changes after repeated ALI exposure to native mainstream smoke
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2017 Jun 14;69(5):307-315
“Metaplastic phenotype in human primary bronchiolar epithelial cells after repeated exposure to native mainstream smoke at the air-liquid interface.”
Authors:
M. Aufderheide, S. Ito, S. Ishikawa, M. Emura
Abstract
3D constructs composed of primary normal differentiated human bronchiolar epithelial (NHBE) cells as mono- or co-culture in combination with normal human lung fibroblasts were exposed repeatedly at the air-liquid interface with non-lethal concentrations of mainstream cigarette smoke (4 cigarettes a day, 5days/week, 13 times repetition in total) to build up a permanent burden on the cells. Samples were taken after 4, 8 and 13 times of repeated smoke exposure and the cultures were analyzed by histopathological methods In comparison with the clean air exposure (process control) and incubator control cells the cigarette smoke exposed cultures showed a reduction of cilia bearing as well as mucus producing cells. In both mono- as well as co-cultures, hyperplasia was induced showing different histological cell types (undifferentiated secretory and squamous cell types). At the end of the exposure phase, we observed the development of non-hyperplastic areas strongly positive to CK13 antibody, commonly seen in squamous cells as a marker for non-cornified squamous epithelium, thus suggesting a transition of the normal bronchial epithelial cells towards metaplastic cells. The control cultures (clean air exposed and incubator cells) showed no comparable phenotypic changes. In conclusion, our in vitro model presents a valuable tool to study the induction of metaplastic alterations after exposure to airborne material.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Air-liquid interface; CULTEX® RFS; Direct exposure; Metaplastic alterations; Normal human bronchial epithelial cells; Normal human lung fibroblasts