Safety evaluation of sinus surfactant solution on respiratory cilia function

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) often involves thickened nasal secretions and postnasal drip.
• A modified topical surfactant solution was developed for sinonasal use, removing hair-specific ingredients and adding a humectant.
• This study aimed to evaluate the safety of the novel sinonasal surfactant solution on respiratory cilia function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety of a novel sinonasal surfactant solution on respiratory cilia.
• To determine if the solution exhibits any ciliotoxicity in relevant in vitro models.

Main Methods:

• Murine nasal explants and air-liquid interface cultures were utilized.
• High-speed video microscopy measured ciliary beat frequency (CBF) before and after surfactant application.
• Cultures were monitored for 15 minutes post-application.

Main Results:

• The sinonasal surfactant solution transiently increased CBF in murine explants and epithelial cultures.
• No evidence of toxicity to respiratory cilia was observed over the 15-minute test period.
• The solution demonstrated safety in both explant and air-liquid interface models.

Conclusions:

• Respiratory mucosal explants and air-liquid interface cultures are effective models for screening topical agents for ciliotoxicity.
• The novel sinonasal surfactant solution, when diluted, was found to be non-ciliotoxic to respiratory epithelium.
• These findings support the potential use of this surfactant solution for sinonasal applications.