• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.281-286
• /
• 2002

In this study, we intended to get a preliminary data for establishing rat tracheal surface epithelial(RTSE) cell culture system as an experimental model for physiology and pharmacology of tracheal epithelial cells. Primary culture on the membrane support and application of the air-liquid interface system at the level of cell layer were performed. The cell growth rate and mucin production rate were measured according to the days in culture. The results were as follows: this culture system was found to manifest mucocilliary differentiation of rat tracheal epithelial cells, the cells were confluent and the quantity of produced and released mucin was highest on culture day 9, the mucin was mainly released to the apical side and tbe free $^3{H}$-glucosamine which was not incorporated to process of synthesis of mucin was left on the basolateral side. Taken together, we suggest that air-liquid interface culture system can be used as a substitute for immersion culture system and as an experimental model for in vivo mucus-hypersecretory diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.2 no.6
• /
• pp.763-770
• /
• 1998

A number of substances involved in the proliferation and differentiation of the tracheobronchial epithelium have been identified. The defects in the control of the proliferation and differentiation of tracheobronchial epithelial cells appear to constitute crucial steps in the transition of normal cells to neoplastic ones. Endothelin-1 is produced by tracheal epithelial cells, and its receptors are present in tracheal epithelial cells. However, the effect of endothelin-1 on the proliferation and differentiation of tracheal epithelial cells has not been clearly elucidated. This study was undertaken to investigate these actions of endothelin-1 in primary cultured cells of rat tracheal epithelia. Endothelin-1 stimulated proliferation of tracheal epithelial cells 1.5-fold when compared with that of control cells. Endothelin-1 increased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. Herbimycin A, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited endothelin-1-induced proliferation of epithelial cells. The treatment of endothelin-1 during the primary culture of tracheal epithelial cells increased AB-PAS-stained cell population and ciliated cell population 6.5 fold and 1.5 fold, respectively, when compared with those in control cells. The responsiveness to carbachol and forskolin in the $Cl^-$ secretion was increased 1.7 and 1.9 fold, respectively, in the endothelin-treated epithelial cells. These results indicated that endothelin-1 increases proliferation via MAPK pathway and stimulates differentiation to secretory and ciliated cells in rat tracheal epithelial cells.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.37 no.12
• /
• pp.2009-2020
• /
• 2024

Objective: Avian influenza virus (AIV) infections first affect the respiratory tract of chickens. The epithelial cells activate the host immune system, which leads to the induction of immune-related genes and the production of antiviral molecules against external environmental pathogens. In this study, we used chicken tracheal epithelial cells (TECs) in vitro model to investigate the immune response of the chicken respiratory tract against avian respiratory virus infections. Methods: Eighteen-day-old embryonic chicken eggs were used to culture the primary chicken TECs. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry (ICC) analysis of epithelial cell-specific gene makers were performed to confirm the characteristics, morphology, and growth pattern of primary cultured chicken TECs. Moreover, to investigate the cellular immune response to AIV infection or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly [I:C]) treatment, the TECs were infected with the H5N1 virus or poly (I:C). Then, immune responses were validated by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Results: The TECs exhibited polygonal morphology and formed colony-type cell clusters. The RT-qPCR results showed that H5N1 infection induced a significant expression of antiviral genes in TECs. We found that TECs treated with poly (I:C) and exposed to AIV infection-mediated activation of signaling pathways, leading to the production of antiviral molecules (e.g., pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines), were damaged due to the loss of junction proteins. We observed the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, which are involved in inflammatory response by modulating the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in TECs treated with poly (I:C) and pathway inhibitors. Furthermore, our findings indicated that poly (I:C) treatment compromises the epithelial cell barrier by affecting junction proteins in the cell membrane. Conclusion: Our study highlights the utility of in vitro TEC models for unraveling the mechanisms of viral infection and understanding host immune responses in the chicken respiratory tract.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2002

Background and Objectives : Sulfur dioxide gas is one of the major airborne Pollutants noxious to human in industrialized countries. The most vulnerable areas in the human respiratory system were the trachea and main bronchi and a gradient of decreasing damage was observed in the peripheral tracheobronchial tree. Induced functional alteration was increased mucosal permeability, and morphological changes were epithelial sloughing, intracellular edema, mitochondrial swelling, widened intercellular spaces, and ciliary cytoplamic extrusions. The laminins are a family of extracellular matrix glycoproteins localized in the basement membrane. Their primary role is cell-matrix attachment, but many additional biologic activities, including Promoting cell growth and migration, tumor growth and metastasis, wound repair, and graft survival, have been demonstrated. Materials and Methods : Histologic changes and expression of laminin in tracheal mucosa sacrificed at 1 day, 2 day, 3 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks after continued SO2 exposure of 250 ppm for 30 minutes a day(to 7week) were studied in rats. In this study, mild immune reaction for laminin was noted at the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells and basement membrane one day after a 7 week $SO_2$ exposure. The cilia and nucleoi of epithelial cells were normal and no immune reaction was noted in Goblet cells. The lamina propria of the tracheal tissue was infiltrated by monocytes and lymphocytes. Results : At 24 hours after exposure, all tracheal cells except Goblet cells revealed a mild immune reaction for laminin. No immune reactions were noted in the basement membrane. At 72 hours after exposure, mild or moderate immune reactions for laminin was seen in the tracheal cell cytoplasm. Irregular faint immune reaction for laminin was noted in the basement membrane. At 1 week after exposure, strong immune reaction for laminin was detected over all tracheal cells, and the basement membrane was seen clearly. At 2~3 weeks after exposure, strong immune reaction for laminin was seen in all tracheal epithelial cells except Goblet cells and a mild immune reaction was partly revealed in the basement membrane. Conclusion : Our study suggests that 502 produces histologic damage on the tracheal mucosa. Longer duration after exposure of $SO_2$ makes more progressive healing on the tracheal mucosa and increased immunoreactivity for laminin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.87-101
• /
• 1997

The development of trachea in fetuses on 60, 90 and 120 days of gestation and neonates of Korean native goats was investigated by microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results were summarized as follows; Light microscopic studies: 1. In the 60-day-old fetuses, the tracheal walls were differentiated and divided into four layers of the mucosa, submucosa, muscle and cartilage, and adventitia. The tracheal epithelium is composed of stratified ciliated columnar epithelium at 60- and 90-day-old fetuses while the epithelium observed at 120-day-old fetuses was pseudostraified ciliated colummar epithelium. 2. In the 90-day-old fetuses, tracheal glands extended into the submucosa and peripheral area of the tracheal cartilage. The blood vessels were observed in the submucosa and adventitia. The elastic and collagenous fibers were observed in the tracheal walls. 3. In the neonates, the tracheal walls consisted of mucosa with well-developed folds, submucosa, tracheal glands, muscle and cartilage, collagenous and elastic fibers, and adventitia, which were more developed than those of 120-day-old fetuses. The tracheal epithelium was developed as that in adults. Scanning electron microscopic studies: 4. In the 60-day-old fetuses, most of tracheal epithelial cells were nonciliated but short microvilli were sporadically observed on the luminal surface. On rare occasions, a few cells have solitary cilium. 5. In the 90-day-old fetuses, the ciliated cells appeared increasingly and cilia elongated longer than those of 60-day-old fetuses. 6. In the 120-day-old fetuses, the nonciliated cells covered with microvilli in dome-shape were barriered by thick carpet of cilia. The nonciliated cells also have many papillary projectons on the apical surface. 7. In the neonates, the nonciliated cells in tracheal epithelium were covered compactly with numerous cilia, and many secretory droplets were found on the cilia. Transmission electron microscopic studies: 8. In the 60-day-old fetuses, nonciliated cells of the tracheal epithelium contain large amounts of glycogen granules in the supernuclear and subnuclear areas meanwhile a few cell organelles were formed. Cilia were well formed along the apical cell membranes of the ciliated cells. Also found in the ciliated cells were basal corpuscles, mitochondria and short chains in granular endoplasmic reticulum(GER). Between the epithelial cells presented were well-defined junctional complex with zonula occludens and desmosomes. The nuclei were variable in size and shape. The more developed nucleoli were observed conspicuosly. 9. In the 90-day-old fetuses, nonciliated cells contained large glycogen granules. Accumulated glycogen granules were observed in the subnuclear and supranuclear portion of the cytoplasm. A few short microvilli were covered with glycocalyx. Ciliated cells contained numerous mitochondria and short chains of GER. 10. In the 120-day-old fetuses, the ciliated cells contained numerous mitochondria, abundant short chains of GER and nucleoli. Nonciliated cells contained some Golgi complex and mitochondria. The cell borders were well-defined and distinct junctional complex with zonula occludens, desmosomes, and interdigitorum. 11. In the neonates, well-developed goblet cells were observed in the tracheal epithelium. Ultrastructures of ciliated and nonciliated cells on the tracheal epithelia were similar in pattern as those in adults.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2000

Background and Objectives : The concentration of sulfur dioxide($SO_2$) gas in the ambient air appears increasing in the industry and urban area day by day. It was known that $SO_2$ is noxious gas. $SO_2$ can be irritating to the eyes, nose, throat, upper respiratory tract and skin. It produces sulfurous acid on contact with water and is extremely irritating to the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. Laminin is a family of extracellular matrix glycoproteins localized in the basement membrane that separates epithelial cells from the underlying stroma. The biological activities of laminin are to promote cell migration, wound healing, growth and differentiation. Meterials and Methods : The histologic changes and the expression of laminin in tracheal mucosa sacrificed at every weeks (to 7 weeks) after continued $SO_2$ exposure of 250ppm for 30 minutes a day were studied in rats. Results : Pathologic tissue was formed at the tracheal mucosa and the underlying tissue by the infiltration of monocytes and epithelium was transformed to the single cell layered epithelium above 5 weeks after exposure. At the 6 weeks after exposure, epithelial cells were partially lost and epithelial cell layer was transformed to be leaf-shaped. Submucosal tissue was transformed to be lymphatic tissue. An intense positive staining for laminin was found in apical cytoplasm and lateral surface of the normal epithelial cells and basement membrane but at the 5 and 6 weeks after exposure, laminin activity was decreased to the moderate activity. At the 7 weeks after exposure, laminin activity was decreased to the weak activity. Conclusion : Our finding suggests that $SO_2$ makes histologic damage on the tracheal mucosa and decreases immunoreactivity for laminin. Longer duration of the exposure of $SO_2$ makes more histologic damage on the tracheal mucosa and decreases immunoreactivity for laminin.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.318-333
• /
• 2008

Objectives : In this study, the author tried to examine whether Cheogjogupye-tang (淸燥救肺湯, CGPT) and Yieum-jeon (理陰煎, YEJ) significantly affect in vitro and in vivo mucin secretion, MUC5AC gene expression in airway epithelial cells and contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle of rabbit. Materials and Methods : For in vitro experiment, confluent hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were chased for 30 minutes in the presence of CGPT and YEJ to assess the effects of the agents on mucin secretion by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with removal of oriental herbal medicine extract from each agent-treated sample by centrifuge microfilter. Also, the effects of the agents on TNF-alpha or EGF-induced MUC5AC gene expression in human airway epithelial cells (NCI-H292) were investigated. Possible cytotoxicities of the agent were assessed by examining both LDH release from HTSE cells and the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. For in vivo experiment, hypersecretion of airway mucin and goblet cell hyperplasia was induced by exposure of rats to $SO_2$ over 3 weeks. Effects of CGPT and YEJ orally administered for 1 week on in vivo mucin secretion from tracheal goblet cells of rats and hyperplasia of goblet cells were assessed using ELISA and histological analysis after staining the epithelial tissue with alcian blue, respectively. Also, the effects of CGPT and YEJ on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle were investigated. Results : (1) CGPT significantly inhibited in vitro mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells. However, YEJ did not affect in vitro mucin secretion; (2) CGPT and YEJ did not affect hypersecretion of in vivo mucin and hyperplasia of tracheal goblet cells; (3) CGPT and YEJ slightly increased the expression levels of TNF-alpha or EGF-induced MUC5AC gene in NCI-H292 cells; (4) CGPT and YEJ inhibited acetylcholine-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle of rabbit; (5) CGPT and YEJ did not affect LDH release from HTSE cells and the survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. Conclusion : The results from the present study suggest that CGPT and YEJ mainly affect the expression of mucin gene rather than secretion of mucin and do not show remarkable cytotoxicity to respiratory epithelial cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2004

In chronic airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, it has been suggested that matrix metalloproteinases secreted from infiltrating neutrophil contribute the pathogenesis of the disease and have been a focus of intense investigation. We report here that hamster tracheal surface epithelial goblet cells (HTSE cells) produce matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2). Matrix metalloproteinase activities were investigated using [$^3H$]collagen-digestion assay and gelatin zymography. The subtype of matrix metalloproteinases expressed from HTSE cells was MMP-2 (gelatinase A), which was determined by Western blot with various subtype selective anti-matrix metalloproteinase antibodies. The MMP-2 and TIMP-2 cDNAs from HTSE cells were partially cloned by RT-PCR and they reveal more than 90% of sequence homology with those from human, rat and mouse. The collagenolytic activity was increased with the secretory differentiation of the HTSE cell and it was found that zymogen activation was responsible for the increased MMP-2 activity in HTSE cells. The results from the present study suggest that the metaplastic secretory differentiation of airway goblet cells may affect chronic airway inflammatory process by augmenting the zymogen activation of MMP-2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1998.11a
• /
• pp.198-198
• /
• 1998

Muc1 mucin is found in a variety of epithelial tissue and is overexpressed in several epithelial cancer. Recently it is alsol reported that primary Hamster tracheal surface epithelial(HTSE) cells express Muc1 protein and cDNA encoding HTSE muc1 protein has been cloned. Although numerous monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to human muncins, particularly Muc1 have been produced, no such antibodies to murine Muc1 have been described. We now describe monoclonal antibody, called mAb M1CT, produced to C-terminal region of HTSE Muc1 protein by immunising mice with a glutathion-s-transferase linked fusion protein. In this study, using this antibody(mAb M1CT) we investigated the effect of RA on the expression of Muc1 in HTSE cells. Retinoic acid(RA) plays an essential role in maintaining normal differentiation of tracheal epithelial cells. With RA-deficiency tracheocytes undergo squamous metaplasia, an abnormal differentiation that can be reversed by RA. We had primary culture of HTSE cells under different concentrations of RA. Culture was maintained until the direction of differentiation was determined. Then Western blot analysis with mAb M1CT was performed with the cell lysates from the culture. The expression of Muc1 protein was decreased in dose-dependent manner as the concentration of retinoic acid was decreased. Our result indicates that the expression of Muc1 protein is coordinately regulated with airway mucous cell differentiation by RA pathway. And the antibody, mAb M1CT, produced in this study should provide useful tool to study the expression of Muc1 mucin in differentiation process or disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1127-1133
• /
• 1998

Background: There are no ideal substitutes for tracheal replacement. Therefore we investigated the possibility of clinical use of cryopreserved tracheal homograft with special interest in the viability and rejection of the epithelial cell and cartilage. Material and Method: Rabbit's trachea was sected and stored in liquid nitrogen tank for 1 month. Tracheal replacement was done in 45 rabbits with autograft(n=15, Group 1), fresh allograft(n=15, Group 2) and cryopreserved homograft(n=15, Group 3). After 7, 14, and 30 days, 5 rabbits in each group were sacrificed and the regeneration of epithelium and cartilage and the degree of rejection were assessed by counting the monocellular infiltration. Result: Investigation at day 7, showed no difference in epithelial regeneration, however, at days 14 and 30, Group 1 showed better regeneration of epithelium than groups 2 and 3. There was no difference of epithelial regeneration between group 2 and 3. There was little rejection at day 7, but at days 14 and 30, there was significant rejection in group 2 and group 3.(P<0.05). Group 3 showed lesser rejection than group 2 at days 14 and 30, but it was not statistically significant. Cartilage showed no rejection and maintained its viability in groups 2 and 3. Conclusion: Cryopreserved tracheal homograft can maintain its viability, therefore it may represent a possibility of clinical application for tracheal replacement. However, cryopreservation can not eliminate the antigenicity of the trachea completely. Furthere studies for lowering the antigenicity and rejection should be performed for an ideal substitute for tracheal replacement.