Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells From Allergic and Non-allergic Individuals Show Comparable Barrier Function

Previous reports suggested that ex vivo cultured primary nasal epithelial cells from allergic patients differ from those from non-allergic individuals by genuinely reduced barrier function. By contrast, we found that primary nasal epithelial cells from allergic and non-allergic individuals showed comparable barrier function and secretion of cytokines.

Effect of Ethanol on Rhinovirus-16 Infection in A549 Cells / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rhinovirus (RV) enters into the airway epithelial cells via the membrane bound receptor ICAM-1. The epithelial cells produce chemotactic cytokines after RV infection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of ethanol on promoting RV infection in airway epithelial cells by increasing the ICAM-1 level and causing a reversible damage in epithelial barrier function. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We pretreated various concentrations of low non-cytotoxic ethanol to A549 cells before RV infection and investigated the effect of ethanol on RV infection. The changed in epithelial barrier function was assessed by transepithelial electrical resistance as measured by voltmeter. Effect of ethanol on ICAM-1 expression was assessed by flow cytometry. Epithelial cytokine response was evaluated using ELISA technique. The level of viral replication was expressed as viral titer, which was determined through viral culture on MRC-5 cells. RESULTS: Ethanol increased ICAM-1 mean fluorescence intensity and the viral titer according to the pretreated ethanol concentrations. But increment of ICAM-1 was inconsistent with increase of viral titer and vise versa. In ethanol treated cells, the production of cytokines was increased and it was consistent with increase of viral titer. Ethanol treatment had no effect on transepithelial resistance. CONCLUSION: Ethanol pretreatment enhanced the ICAM-1 expression, viral replication and RV induced cytokine secretion in A549 cells. But we could not prove the association of RV infection with ICAM-1 expression induced by ethanol. Transepithelial resistance was not changed after ethanol treatment.

Usefulness of NCI-N87 Cell Lines in Helicobacter pylori Infected Gastric Mucosa Model / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The unavailability of human gastric cell lines representative of the normal gastric epithelial function such as polarized monolayer restricts the application of cell culture system in approaching the field of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infected gastric mucosa models. The present investigation aimed at assessing the usefulness of NCI-N87 cell line as an adequate cellular model to study the pathophysiology of human H. pylori infection. METHODS: For the identification of epithelial phenotypes at low magnification, cells were observed on a phase-contrast microscope and confocal microscope. Transepithelial resistance (TER) was measured on NCI-N87 cells seeded on Transwell(R) to identify monolayer polarity two or three times a week after confluency. The IL-8 level was determined by ELISA at 24 hours after the administration of HP60190 and IL-1alpha on NCI-N87 cells. IL-8 level was compared in both upper and lower well with the control. RESULTS: A monolayer phenotype was observed in NCI-N87 cell lines by using confocal microscope. TER was measured as 400-500 (omega x cm2) at two or three weeks after cell culture. In NCI-N87 cell lines, IL-8 level was significantly increased after 24 hour compared to control, and was prominent in the lower well. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NCI-N87 cell line may be useful in H. pylori infected gastric mucosa model.