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Transcriptional PROFILING OF MUCOCILIARY DIFFERENTIATION IN HUMAN AIRWAY EPITHELIAL CELLS
Citation:
ROSS, A., L. A. DAILEY, R. B. DEVLIN, AND L. BRIGHTON. Transcriptional PROFILING OF MUCOCILIARY DIFFERENTIATION IN HUMAN AIRWAY EPITHELIAL CELLS. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. American Thoracic Society, New York, NY, 37(2):169-185, (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
the in vitro study of airway epithelial biology and differentiation
Description:
When cultured at an air-liquid interface (ALI) in the appropriate medium, primary human airway epithelial cells form a polarized, pseudostratified epithelium composed of ciliated and mucus-secreting cells. This culture system provides a useful tool for the in vitro study of airway epithelial biology and differentiation. We have performed microarray analysis on ALI cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) grown over a 28-day period to identify genes involved in mucociliary differentiation. We identified over 2000 genes that displayed statistically significant two-fold or greater changes in expression during the time course. Of the genes showing the largest increases, many are involved in processes associated with airway epithelial biology, such as cell adhesion, immunity, transport, and cilia formation; however, many novel genes were also identified. By contrast, many of the down-regulated genes are markers of normal squamous epithelia or associated with squamous cell carcinomas. Gene networks were generated using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (Ingenuity Systems) to identify potential pathways involved in mucociliary differentiation or function. Networks including molecular components of TGFb and WNT/b-catenin signaling pathways were identified, suggesting potential roles for these families in airway epithelia. This work has provided extensive information about gene expression changes during differentiation of airway epithelial cells, and will be a useful resource for researchers interested in respiratory function, pathology and toxicology.
