Acute Airway Injury and Response: Combined Effect of Smoke Inhalation andCombustion Products on Mucin Gene Expression and Regulated Mucin Production in the Tracheal-Bronchial Epithelium

摘要

Rabbit tracheal epithelial cells showed time-dependent mucin gene expression andsecretion when cultured in a serum-free and hormone-supplemented medium with retinoids (vitamin A). In the absence of vitamin A, the cells showed squamous differentiation with reduced mucin message. When supplemented with retinoids, the cells reverted back to normal. Time-dependent (5-20 minutes) exposure of rabbit tracheal explants to smoke from pine wood resulted in inflammation of the epithelium with very high expression of mucin message. When cultured in a medium with retinoids, the epithelium became normal with normal mucin gene expression. Without retinoids in the culture medium, injury to epithelium and mucin message did not recover well. Addition of an antisense mucin oligomer resulted in partial inhibition of mucin message and the cells showed normal profile. Thus, combined therapy of retinoids and antisense mucin oligomer have clinical implication in the treatment of people, including combat soldiers, exposed to toxic exposure like smoke.