Primary airway epithelial cell culture from lung transplant recipients

Long-term survival in lung transplantation is limited by the development of obliterative bronchiolitis, a condition characterised by inflammation, epithelial injury, fibroproliferation and obliteration of bronchioles leading to airflow obstruction. To investigate the role of the bronchial epithelium in the pathogenesis of obliterative bronchiolitis the current study aimed to establish primary bronchial epithelial cell cultures (PBEC) from lung allografts. Four to six bronchial brushings were obtained from sub-segmental bronchi of lung allografts. Cells were seeded onto collagen-coated plates and grown to confluence in bronchial epithelial growth medium. Bronchial brushings (n=33) were obtained from 27 patients. PBECs were grown to confluence from 12 out of 33 (39%) brushings. Failure to reach confluence was due to early innate infection. Bacteria were usually isolated from both bronchoalveolar lavage and culture media, but a separate population was identified in culture media only. Primary culture of bronchial epithelial cells from lung transplant recipients is feasible, despite a high rate of early, patient-derived infection. Latent infection of the allograft, identified only by bronchial brushings, may itself be a persistent stimulus for epithelial injury. This technique facilitates future mechanistic studies of airway epithelial responses in the pathogenesis of obliterative bronchiolitis.