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1.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(16)2021 Aug 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34445491

ABSTRACT

In this study we assessed the effects of antigen exposure in mice pre-sensitized with allergen following viral infection on changes in lung function, cellular responses and tight junction expression. Female BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin and infected with influenza A before receiving a second ovalbumin sensitization and challenge with saline, ovalbumin (OVA) or house dust mite (HDM). Fifteen days post-infection, bronchoalveolar inflammation, serum antibodies, responsiveness to methacholine and barrier integrity were assessed. There was no effect of infection alone on bronchoalveolar lavage cellular inflammation 15 days post-infection; however, OVA or HDM challenge resulted in increased bronchoalveolar inflammation dominated by eosinophils/neutrophils or neutrophils, respectively. Previously infected mice had higher serum OVA-specific IgE compared with uninfected mice. Mice previously infected, sensitized and challenged with OVA were most responsive to methacholine with respect to airway resistance, while HDM challenge caused significant increases in both tissue damping and tissue elastance regardless of previous infection status. Previous influenza infection was associated with decreased claudin-1 expression in all groups and decreased occludin expression in OVA or HDM-challenged mice. This study demonstrates the importance of the respiratory epithelium in pre-sensitized individuals, where influenza-infection-induced barrier disruption resulted in increased systemic OVA sensitization and downstream effects on lung function.


Subject(s)
Bronchial Hyperreactivity/drug therapy , Methacholine Chloride/administration & dosage , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/complications , Ovalbumin/immunology , Pyroglyphidae/immunology , Airway Resistance/drug effects , Animals , Bronchial Hyperreactivity/etiology , Claudin-1/metabolism , Down-Regulation , Female , Influenza A virus/pathogenicity , Methacholine Chloride/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/immunology , Ovalbumin/administration & dosage , Treatment Outcome
2.
Eur Respir J ; 54(1)2019 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31023850

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary inflammation and infection are important clinical and prognostic markers of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, whether in young children they are transient findings or have cumulative, long-term impacts on respiratory health is largely unknown. We aimed to determine whether their repeated detection has a deleterious effect on structural lung disease. METHODS: All patients aged <6 years with annual computed tomography (CT) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were included. Structural lung disease on CT (%Disease) was determined using the PRAGMA-CF (Perth-Rotterdam Annotated Grid Morphometric Analysis for CF) method. The number of times free neutrophil elastase (NE) and infection were detected in BAL were counted, to determine cumulative BAL history. Linear mixed model analysis, accounting for repeat visits and adjusted for age, was used to determine associations. RESULTS: 265 children (683 scans) were included for analysis, with BAL history comprising 1161 visits. %Disease was significantly associated with the number of prior NE (0.31, 95% CI 0.09-0.54; p=0.007) but not infection (0.23, 95% CI -0.01-0.47; p=0.060) detections. Reference equations were determined. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary inflammation in surveillance BAL has a cumulative effect on structural lung disease extent, more so than infection. This provides a strong rationale for therapies aimed at reducing inflammation in young children.


Subject(s)
Bronchiectasis/diagnostic imaging , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry , Cystic Fibrosis/diagnostic imaging , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Bronchiectasis/pathology , Child, Preschool , Clinical Trials as Topic , Cystic Fibrosis/pathology , Disease Progression , Female , Humans , Infant , Leukocyte Elastase/analysis , Lung/pathology , Male , Observer Variation , Reproducibility of Results , Severity of Illness Index , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Western Australia
3.
Clin Sci (Lond) ; 132(2): 273-284, 2018 01 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29263136

ABSTRACT

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an association between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and asthma; however the underlying mechanism is unknown. We investigated the impact of maternal hypoxia-induced IUGR on airway responsiveness in male and female mice during juvenility and adulthood. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions for gestational days 11-17.5 and then returned to normoxic conditions for the remainder of pregnancy. A control group was housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. Offspring were studied at 2 weeks (juveniles) and 8 weeks (adults), where lung volume was assessed by plethysmography, airway responsiveness to methacholine determined by the forced oscillation technique and lungs fixed for morphometry. IUGR offspring were lighter at birth, exhibited "catch-up growth" by 2 weeks, but were again lighter in adulthood. IUGR males were "hyper-responsive" at 2 weeks and "hypo-responsive" as adults, in contrast with IUGR females who were hyper-responsive in adulthood. IUGR males had increased inner and total wall thickness at 2 weeks which resolved by adulthood, while airways in IUGR females were structurally normal throughout life. There were no differences in lung volume between Control and IUGR offspring at any age. Our data demonstrate changes in airway responsiveness as a result of IUGR that could influence susceptibility to asthma development and contribute to sexual dimorphism in asthma prevalence which switches from a male dominated disease in early life to a female dominated disease in adulthood.


Subject(s)
Asthma/physiopathology , Fetal Growth Retardation/physiopathology , Hypoxia/physiopathology , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/physiopathology , Age Factors , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Male , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Pregnancy , Respiratory Function Tests , Sex Factors
4.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol ; 313(1): L67-L79, 2017 07 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28360111

ABSTRACT

Electronic cigarette usage is increasing worldwide, yet there is a paucity of information on the respiratory health effects of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure. This study aimed to assess whether exposure to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) aerosol would alter lung function and pulmonary inflammation in mice and to compare the severity of any alterations with mice exposed to mainstream tobacco smoke. Female BALB/c mice were exposed for 8 wk to tobacco smoke, medical air (control), or one of four different types of e-cigarette aerosol. E-cigarette aerosols varied depending on nicotine content (0 or 12 mg/ml) and the main excipient (propylene glycol or glycerin). Twenty-four hours after the final exposure, we measured pulmonary inflammation, lung volume, lung mechanics, and responsiveness to methacholine. Mice exposed to tobacco cigarette smoke had increased pulmonary inflammation and responsiveness to methacholine compared with air controls. Mice exposed to e-cigarette aerosol did not have increased inflammation but did display decrements in parenchymal lung function at both functional residual capacity and high transrespiratory pressures. Mice exposed to glycerin-based e-cigarette aerosols were also hyperresponsive to methacholine regardless of the presence or absence of nicotine. This study shows, for the first time, that exposure to e-cigarette aerosol during adolescence and early adulthood is not harmless to the lungs and can result in significant impairments in lung function.


Subject(s)
Aerosols/adverse effects , Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems/adverse effects , Inflammation/pathology , Inflammation/physiopathology , Lung/pathology , Lung/physiopathology , Airway Resistance/drug effects , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Elasticity , Female , Functional Residual Capacity/drug effects , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Inflammation Mediators/metabolism , Methacholine Chloride/pharmacology , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Organ Size , Plethysmography , Respiratory Hypersensitivity/complications , Respiratory Hypersensitivity/pathology , Respiratory Hypersensitivity/physiopathology , Smoking/adverse effects , Thorax/pathology
5.
Exp Lung Res ; 42(1): 24-36, 2016.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26789411

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Recent studies have employed animal models to investigate links between rhinovirus infection and allergic airways disease, however, most do not involve early life infection, and none consider the effects of sex on responses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we infected male and female mice with human rhinovirus 1B (or control) on day 7 of life. Mice were then subjected to 7 weeks of exposure to house-dust-mite prior to assessment of bronchoalveolar inflammation, serum antibodies, lung function, and responsiveness to methacholine. RESULTS: There were significant differences in responses between males and females in most outcomes. In males, chronic house-dust-mite exposure increased bronchoalveolar inflammation, house-dust-mite specific IgG1 and responsiveness of the lung parenchyma, however, there was no additional impact of rhinovirus infection. Conversely, in females, there were additive and synergistic effects of rhinovirus infection and house-dust-mite exposure on neutrophilia, airway resistance, and responsiveness of the lung parenchyma. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that early life rhinovirus infection influences the development of house-dust-mite induced lung disease in female, but not male mice.


Subject(s)
Lung Diseases/immunology , Lung Diseases/virology , Pyroglyphidae/immunology , Rhinovirus/immunology , Animals , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/immunology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology , Female , Hypersensitivity/immunology , Hypersensitivity/virology , Immunoglobulin G/immunology , Inflammation/immunology , Inflammation/virology , Lung/immunology , Lung/virology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Picornaviridae Infections/immunology , Picornaviridae Infections/virology
8.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med ; 183(10): 1336-43, 2011 May 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21297070

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is increasing and has been linked to obstructive lung diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with reduced lung function. The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and lung function is confounded by the association between physical activity levels and vitamin D status. Thus, causal data confirming a relationship between vitamin D and lung function are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To determine if vitamin D deficiency alters lung structure and function. METHODS: A physiologically relevant BALB/c mouse model of vitamin D deficiency was developed by dietary manipulation. Offspring from deficient and replete colonies of mice were studied for somatic growth, lung function, and lung structure at 2 weeks of age. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Lung volume and function were measured by plethysmography and the forced oscillation technique, respectively. Lung structure was assessed histologically. Vitamin D deficiency did not alter somatic growth but decreased lung volume. There were corresponding deficits in lung function that could not be entirely explained by lung volume. The volume dependence of lung mechanics was altered by deficiency suggesting altered tissue structure. However, the primary histologic difference between groups was lung size rather than an alteration in architecture. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency causes deficits in lung function that are primarily explained by differences in lung volume. This study is the first to provide direct mechanistic evidence linking vitamin D deficiency and lung development, which may explain the association between obstructive lung disease and vitamin D status.


Subject(s)
Lung/physiopathology , Lung/ultrastructure , Vitamin D Deficiency/physiopathology , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Lung Volume Measurements/methods , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Organ Size , Plethysmography/methods , Respiratory Function Tests/methods
9.
Respir Physiol Neurobiol ; 298: 103846, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35063696

ABSTRACT

A significant proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations are strongly associated with rhinovirus infection (HRV). In this study, we combined long-term cigarette smoke exposure with HRV infection in a mouse model. Our aim was to better understand the effects of HRV infection on such exacerbations, using a realistic method for generating a COPD-like phenotype. After 12-weeks of cigarette smoke exposure, adult female BALB/c mice were infected with HRV-1A and three days later we assessed a range of outcomes including lung volume and function, collected lung tissue for measurement of viral titre, bronchoalveolar lavage for assessment of pulmonary inflammation and levels of key mediators, and fixed lungs for stereological structural analyses. Cigarette smoke exposure alone significantly increased total cells and macrophages, and reduced MIP-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage. HRV-1A infection alone increased neutrophilic inflammation, IP-10 and total protein in lavage and also increased specific airway resistance measured at functional residual capacity. Cigarette smoke and HRV-1A together impacted various lung structural parameters including increasing stereological lung volume. Our results show that long-term cigarette smoke exposure and HRV-1A infection both individually impact respiratory outcomes and combine to alter aspects of lung structure in a mouse model, thus providing insight into the development of future mechanistic studies and appropriate interventions in human disease.


Subject(s)
Cigarette Smoking/adverse effects , Inhalation Exposure/adverse effects , Picornaviridae Infections/complications , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/etiology , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/pathology , Rhinovirus/pathogenicity , Symptom Flare Up , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/immunology , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism
10.
Environ Health Perspect ; 129(1): 17001, 2021 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33439053

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Climate change models predict that atmospheric carbon dioxide [CO2] levels will be between 700 and 900 ppm within the next 80 y. Despite this, the direct physiological effects of exposure to slightly elevated atmospheric CO2 (as compared with ∼410 ppm experienced today), especially when exposures extend from preconception to adulthood, have not been thoroughly studied. OBJECTIVES: In this study we aimed to assess the respiratory structure and function effects of long-term exposure to 890 ppm CO2 from preconception to adulthood using a mouse model. METHODS: We exposed mice to CO2 (∼890 ppm) from prepregnancy, through the in utero and early life periods, until 3 months of age, at which point we assessed respiratory function using the forced oscillation technique, and lung structure. RESULTS: CO2 exposure resulted in a range of respiratory impairments, particularly in female mice, including higher tissue elastance, longer chord length, and lower lung compliance. Importantly, we also assessed the lung function of the dams that gave birth to our experimental subjects. Even though these mice had been exposed to the same level of increased CO2 for a similar amount of time (∼8wk), we measured no impairments in lung function. This suggests that the early life period, when lungs are undergoing rapid growth and development, is particularly sensitive to CO2. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this study, for the first time, shows that long-term exposure to environmentally relevant levels of CO2 can impact respiratory function in the mouse. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7305.


Subject(s)
Carbon Dioxide , Climate Change , Lung , Carbon Dioxide/toxicity , Female , Humans , Lung/anatomy & histology , Lung/drug effects , Lung/physiology , Pregnancy , Respiratory Physiological Phenomena/drug effects
11.
J Trauma ; 69(4): E24-31, 2010 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20495489

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Both high tidal volume (V(T)) ventilation and hemorrhage induce acute lung injury in adult rodents. It is not known whether injurious ventilation augments lung injury in infant rats exposed to severe hemorrhage. METHODS: Two-week-old rats were allocated for ventilation with VT 7 mL/kg and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 cm H2O (low V(T)) or V(T) 21 mL/kg and PEEP 1 (high V(T)) for 4 hours. Additional rats were subjected to volume-controlled hemorrhage and delayed saline resuscitation, followed by low V(T) or high V(T) ventilation for 4 hours. Nonventilated control groups were also included. Airway resistance and the coefficient of tissue elastance were derived from respiratory input impedance measurements using the low-frequency forced oscillation technique. Pressure-volume curves were obtained at baseline and at the end of the study. Interleukin-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum. RESULTS: In both healthy and hemorrhage-exposed animals, high V(T) resulted in reduced elastance (better lung compliance) and increased transcutaneous oxygen saturation. Interleukin-6 in BALF was greater in ventilated animals when compared with nonventilated controls, but not different among ventilated groups. No significant differences were found for all other inflammatory mediators, total protein concentration in BALF, and histology. CONCLUSION: High V(T) ventilation with low PEEP improves respiratory system mechanics without causing additional damage to healthy and hemorrhage-exposed infant rats after 4 hours of ventilation. This study highlights the tolerance to high V(T) ventilation in infant rats and underscores the need for age-specific animal models.


Subject(s)
Airway Resistance/physiology , Animals, Newborn , Hemorrhage/physiopathology , Lung Compliance/physiology , Positive-Pressure Respiration/methods , Respiratory Mechanics/physiology , Tidal Volume/physiology , Animals , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/immunology , Chemokine CXCL2/metabolism , Hemorrhage/pathology , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Oxygen/blood , Rats , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism
12.
Respir Physiol Neurobiol ; 165(1): 61-6, 2009 Jan 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18992373

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to determine the short-term effects of hyperoxia on respiratory mechanics in mechanically ventilated infant and adult mice. Eight and two week old BALB/c mice were exposed to inspired oxygen fractions [Formula: see text] of 0.21, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0, respectively, during 120 min of mechanical ventilation. Respiratory system mechanics and inflammatory responses were measured. Using the low-frequency forced oscillation technique no differences were found in airway resistance between different [Formula: see text] groups when corrected for changes in gas viscosity. Coefficients of lung tissue damping and elastance were not different between groups and showed similar changes over time in both age groups. Inflammatory responses did not differ between groups at either age. Hyperoxia had no impact on respiratory mechanics during mechanical ventilation with low tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure. Hence, supplemental oxygen can safely be applied during short-term mechanical ventilation strategies in infant and adult mice.


Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Airway Resistance/physiology , Oxygen/administration & dosage , Respiration, Artificial , Respiratory Mechanics/physiology , Age Factors , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Chemokine CXCL2/blood , Interleukin-2/blood , Mice , Pancreatic Elastase , Positive-Pressure Respiration , Pulmonary Atelectasis/physiopathology , Tidal Volume
13.
Free Radic Biol Med ; 113: 236-243, 2017 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28982600

ABSTRACT

Neutrophil-derived myeloperoxidase (MPO) is recognized as a major source of oxidative stress at the airway surface of a cystic fibrosis (CF) lung where, despite limited evidence, the antioxidant glutathione is widely considered to be low. The aims of this study were to establish whether oxidative stress or glutathione status are associated with bronchiectasis and whether glutathione deficiency is inherently linked to CF or a consequence of oxidative stress. MPO was measured by ELISA in 577 bronchoalveolar lavage samples from 205 clinically-phenotyped infants and children with CF and 58 children without CF (ages 0.2-6.92 years). Reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione species (GSSG; glutathione attached to proteins, GSSP; glutathione sulfonamide, GSA) and allantoin, an oxidation product of uric acid, were measured by mass spectrometry. The odds of having bronchiectasis were associated with MPO and GSSP. GSH was low in children with CF irrespective of oxidation. Oxidized glutathione species were significantly elevated in CF children with pulmonary infections compared to uninfected CF children. In non-CF children, infections had no effect on glutathione levels. An inadequate antioxidant response to neutrophil-mediated oxidative stress during infections exists in CF due to an inherent glutathione deficiency. Effective delivery of glutathione and inhibition of MPO may slow the development of bronchiectasis.


Subject(s)
Bronchiectasis/metabolism , Cystic Fibrosis/metabolism , Glutathione/deficiency , Lung/metabolism , Neutrophils/enzymology , Peroxidase/metabolism , Age of Onset , Allantoin/metabolism , Bronchiectasis/pathology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Cystic Fibrosis/pathology , Female , Glutathione/analogs & derivatives , Glutathione/metabolism , Glutathione Disulfide/metabolism , Humans , Infant , Inflammation , Lung/pathology , Male , Neutrophils/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxidative Stress , Sulfones/metabolism
14.
Physiol Rep ; 5(15)2017 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28774952

ABSTRACT

In disease settings, vitamin D may be important for maintaining optimal lung epithelial integrity and suppressing inflammation, but less is known of its effects prior to disease onset. Female BALB/c dams were fed a vitamin D3-supplemented (2280 IU/kg, VitD+) or nonsupplemented (0 IU/kg, VitD-) diet from 3 weeks of age, and mated at 8 weeks of age. Male offspring were fed the same diet as their mother. Some offspring initially fed the VitD- diet were switched to a VitD+ diet from 8 weeks of age (VitD-/+). At 12 weeks of age, signs of low-level inflammation were observed in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of VitD- mice (more macrophages and neutrophils), which were suppressed by subsequent supplementation with vitamin D3 There was no difference in the level of expression of the tight junction proteins occludin or claudin-1 in lung epithelial cells of VitD+ mice compared to VitD- mice; however, claudin-1 levels were reduced when initially vitamin D-deficient mice were fed the vitamin D3-containing diet (VitD-/+). Reduced total IgM levels were detected in BALF and serum of VitD-/+ mice compared to VitD+ mice. Lung mRNA levels of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) were greatest in VitD-/+ mice. Total IgG levels in BALF were greater in mice fed the vitamin D3-containing diet, which may be explained by increased activation of B cells in airway-draining lymph nodes. These findings suggest that supplementation of initially vitamin D-deficient mice with vitamin D3 suppresses signs of lung inflammation but has limited effects on the epithelial integrity of the lungs.


Subject(s)
Pneumonia/drug therapy , Receptors, Calcitriol/genetics , Respiratory Mucosa/metabolism , Vitamin D Deficiency/drug therapy , Vitamin D/therapeutic use , Vitamins/therapeutic use , Animals , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Claudin-1/genetics , Claudin-1/metabolism , Dietary Supplements , Female , Lung/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Occludin/genetics , Occludin/metabolism , Pneumonia/complications , Receptors, Calcitriol/metabolism , Respiratory Mucosa/pathology , Vitamin D/administration & dosage , Vitamin D Deficiency/complications , Vitamins/administration & dosage
15.
Sci Rep ; 7(1): 1517, 2017 05 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28473708

ABSTRACT

This study tested the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based indentation to assess mechanical properties of respiratory tissues in disease. Using OCT-based indentation, the elastic modulus of mouse diaphragm was measured from changes in diaphragm thickness in response to an applied force provided by an indenter. We used a transgenic mouse model of chronic lung disease induced by the overexpression of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), established by the presence of pleural and peribronchial fibrosis and impaired lung mechanics determined by the forced oscillation technique and plethysmography. Diaphragm elastic modulus assessed by OCT-based indentation was reduced by TGF-α at both left and right lateral locations (p < 0.05). Diaphragm elastic modulus at left and right lateral locations were correlated within mice (r = 0.67, p < 0.01) suggesting that measurements were representative of tissue beyond the indenter field. Co-localised images of diaphragm after TGF-α overexpression revealed a layered fibrotic appearance. Maximum diaphragm force in conventional organ bath studies was also reduced by TGF-α overexpression (p < 0.01). Results show that OCT-based indentation provided clear delineation of diseased diaphragm, and together with organ bath assessment, provides new evidence suggesting that TGF-α overexpression produces impairment in diaphragm function and, therefore, an increase in the work of breathing in chronic lung disease.


Subject(s)
Diaphragm/physiopathology , Lung Diseases/physiopathology , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Animals , Biomechanical Phenomena , Disease Models, Animal , Doxycycline , Elastic Modulus , Female , Fibrosis , Lung Diseases/diagnosis , Lung Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Male , Mice, Transgenic , Pleura/pathology , Transforming Growth Factor alpha
16.
Nat Commun ; 8(1): 1409, 2017 11 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29123085

ABSTRACT

Modulation of airway surface liquid (ASL) pH has been proposed as a therapy for cystic fibrosis (CF). However, evidence that ASL pH is reduced in CF is limited and conflicting. The technical challenges associated with measuring ASL pH in vivo have precluded accurate measurements in humans. In order to address this deficiency, ASL pH was measured in vivo in children using a novel luminescent technology integrated with fibre-optic probes. Here we show that ASL pH in children with CF is similar to that of children without CF. Findings were supported by highly controlled direct pH measurements in primary human airway epithelial cell culture models, which also suggest that the potential ASL pH gradient produced by defective apical ion transport is balanced out by paracellular shunting of acid/base. Thus, reduced baseline ASL pH is unlikely to be an important pathobiological factor in early CF lung disease.


Subject(s)
Cystic Fibrosis/metabolism , Respiratory Mucosa/metabolism , Bacterial Infections/complications , Bacterial Infections/metabolism , Bronchi/metabolism , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Cells, Cultured , Child , Child, Preschool , Cystic Fibrosis/complications , Cystic Fibrosis/etiology , Female , Fiber Optic Technology , Fluorescent Dyes , H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase/metabolism , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Infant , Male , Prospective Studies
17.
Physiol Rep ; 2(3): e00276, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24760528

ABSTRACT

Abstract Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disease severity in asthma. We tested whether there is a causal association between vitamin D deficiency, airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass, and the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). A physiologically relevant mouse model of vitamin D deficiency was developed by raising BALB/c mice on vitamin D-deficient or -replete diets. AHR was assessed by measuring lung function responses to increasing doses of inhaled methacholine. Five-micron sections from formalin-fixed lungs were used for ASM measurement and assessment of lung structure using stereological methods. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß levels were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Lungs were dissected from embryonic day (E) 17.5 vitamin D-deficient and -replete fetal mice for quantification of ASM density and relative gene expression of TGF-ß signaling pathway molecules. Eight-week-old adult vitamin D-deficient female mice had significantly increased airway resistance and ASM in the large airways compared with controls. Vitamin D-deficient female mice had a smaller lung volume, volume of parenchyma, and alveolar septa. Both vitamin D-deficient male and female mice had reduced TGF-ß levels in BALF. Vitamin D deficiency did not have an effect on ASM density in E17.5 mice, however, expression of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß receptor I was downregulated in vitamin D-deficient female fetal mice. Decreased expression of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß receptor I during early lung development in vitamin D-deficient mice may contribute to airway remodeling and AHR in vitamin D-deficient adult female mice. This study provides a link between vitamin D deficiency and respiratory symptoms in chronic lung disease.

18.
PLoS One ; 9(3): e92163, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24632596

ABSTRACT

Human rhinovirus is a key viral trigger for asthma exacerbations. To date, murine studies investigating rhinovirus-induced exacerbation of allergic airways disease have employed systemic sensitisation/intranasal challenge with ovalbumin. In this study, we combined human-rhinovirus infection with a clinically relevant mouse model of aero-allergen exposure using house-dust-mite in an attempt to more accurately understand the links between human-rhinovirus infection and exacerbations of asthma. Adult BALB/c mice were intranasally exposed to low-dose house-dust-mite (or vehicle) daily for 10 days. On day 9, mice were inoculated with human-rhinovirus-1B (or UV-inactivated human-rhinovirus-1B). Forty-eight hours after inoculation, we assessed bronchoalveolar cellular inflammation, levels of relevant cytokines/serum antibodies, lung function and responsiveness/sensitivity to methacholine. House-dust-mite exposure did not result in a classical TH2-driven response, but was more representative of noneosinophilic asthma. However, there were significant effects of house-dust-mite exposure on most of the parameters measured including increased cellular inflammation (primarily macrophages and neutrophils), increased total IgE and house-dust-mite-specific IgG1 and increased responsiveness/sensitivity to methacholine. There were limited effects of human-rhinovirus-1B infection alone, and the combination of the two insults resulted in additive increases in neutrophil levels and lung parenchymal responses to methacholine (tissue elastance). We conclude that acute rhinovirus infection exacerbates house-dust-mite-induced lung disease in adult mice. The similarity of our results using the naturally occurring allergen house-dust-mite, to previous studies using ovalbumin, suggests that the exacerbation of allergic airways disease by rhinovirus infection could act via multiple or conserved mechanisms.


Subject(s)
Lung Diseases/immunology , Lung Diseases/virology , Pyroglyphidae/immunology , Rhinovirus/physiology , Animals , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Bronchoalveolar Lavage , Female , Hypersensitivity/immunology , Interleukin-13/metabolism , Lung Diseases/metabolism , Lung Diseases/physiopathology , Methacholine Chloride/pharmacology , Mice , Nasal Mucosa/virology , Respiratory Function Tests , Rhinovirus/immunology
19.
Respir Physiol Neurobiol ; 189(1): 129-35, 2013 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23886634

ABSTRACT

The impact of mechanical ventilation with high V(T)-low PEEP in infant rats with preinjured lungs is unknown. After tracheal instillation of saline or acid, two week old rats were ventilated with V(T) 7 mL/kg and PEEP 5 cm H2O or V(T) 21 mL/kg and PEEP 1cm H2O for 4 h. Airway resistance and the coefficient of tissue elastance, measured via low-frequency forced-oscillation technique, and quasi-static pressure-volume curves deteriorated less with high V(T)-low PEEP when compared with low V(T)-high PEEP. IL-6 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) did not differ between all ventilated groups. Moreover, differences in BALF protein concentration and histological lung injury scores were independent of applied ventilation strategies. In contrast to experimental studies with adult rats, short-term mechanical ventilation with high V(T)-low PEEP is not deleterious when compared to low V(T)-high PEEP in both healthy and pre-injured infant rat lungs. Our results call for caution when extrapolating data from adult studies and highlight the need for age-specific animal models.


Subject(s)
Acute Lung Injury/pathology , Acute Lung Injury/physiopathology , Positive-Pressure Respiration/methods , Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury/pathology , Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury/physiopathology , Acute Lung Injury/metabolism , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Rats , Tidal Volume , Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury/metabolism
20.
Environ Health Perspect ; 121(2): 244-50, 2013 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23221970

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Exposure to arsenic via drinking water is a global environmental health problem. In utero exposure to arsenic via drinking water increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections during infancy and mortality from bronchiectasis in early adulthood. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate how arsenic exposure in early life alters lung development and pathways involved in innate immunity. METHODS: Pregnant BALB/c, C57BL/6, and C3H/HeARC mice were exposed to 0 (control) or 100 µg/L arsenic via drinking water from gestation day 8 until the birth of their offspring. We measured somatic growth, lung volume, and lung mechanics of mice at 2 weeks of age. We used fixed lungs for structural analysis and collected lung tissue for gene expression analysis by microarray. RESULTS: The response to arsenic was genetically determined, and C57BL/6 mice were the most susceptible. Arsenic-exposed C57BL/6 mice were smaller in size, had smaller lungs, and had impaired lung mechanics compared with controls. Exposure to arsenic in utero up-regulated the expression of genes in the lung involved in mucus production (Clca3, Muc5b, Scgb3a1), innate immunity (Reg3γ, Tff2, Dynlrb2, Lplunc1), and lung morphogenesis (Sox2). Arsenic exposure also induced mucous cell metaplasia and increased expression of CLCA3 protein in the large airways. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in somatic growth, lung development, and the expression of genes involved in mucociliary clearance and innate immunity in the lung are potential mechanisms through which early life arsenic exposure impacts respiratory health.


Subject(s)
Arsenic/toxicity , Cilia/physiology , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/drug effects , Lung/drug effects , Animals , Female , Lung/embryology , Lung/immunology , Lung/physiology , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Pregnancy
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