Polyhydrated ionogen with MgBr2 accelerates in vitro respiratory epithelial healing

Remucoslization of the sinonasal cavity after sinus surgery is critical for successful outcomes. Recently, a novel antiprotease and antifibroblast compound, polyhydrated ionogen (PHI) with MgBr2, showed improved wound healing in a rabbit maxillary sinus mucosal wound model. We set out to determine if this effect was reproducible in an in vitro respiratory epithelial culture system.

Fully differentiated mature murine nasal septal air-liquid interface cultures were injured by creating a full-thickness 400-mM-wide scratch through the monolayer. Cultures were then treated with nothing, saline, or PHI with MgBr2 for 1 hour on the apical surface. Twenty-four hours after the injury cultures were fixed and processed for immunofluorescence with type IV beta-tubulin and Hoechst stain.

Initial injury resulted in a wound of 394 micromolar (377-411 micromoler; 95% CI; n = 8). After 24 hours with no intervention the wound closed to 161 micromolar (138-184 micromolar; 95% CI; n = 9) and treatment with saline resulted in a residual gap of 88 micromolar (60-116 micromolar; 95% CI; n = 9; p < 0.05) and treatment with PHI with MgBr2 resulted in a gap of only 30 micromolar (14-46 micromolar; 95% CI; n = 9; p < 0.05).

Poor healing of the sinonasal mucosa after surgery with loss of ciliary function results in adverse clinical outcomes. In an in vitro sinonasal respiratory epithelial injury model, a one-time treatment with PHI with MgBr2 showed significantly improved wound healing compared with saline or nothing. This is a viable model to further investigate the mechanism by which PHI with MgBr2 improves sinonasal remucosolization.