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Characterisation of morphological differences in well-differentiated nasal epithelial cell cultures from preterm and

Helen E Groves1, Hong Guo-Parke1, Lindsay Broadbent1

  • 1Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Plos One
|December 6, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Newborn airway epithelial cells show delayed differentiation and more goblet cells compared to older infants. This study successfully cultured these cells, offering a new model for infant airway disease research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Neonatal airway epithelium is crucial for defense against pathogens and allergens.
  • Newborns, especially preterm infants, face higher risks of severe respiratory infections.
  • Limited knowledge exists on neonatal airway immune responses and their role in airway disease development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To generate and characterize well-differentiated primary pediatric nasal epithelial cell (WD-PNEC) cultures from newborns and compare them to older infants.
  • To investigate potential age-related morphological and immune changes in airway epithelium.
  • To establish a model for studying infant airway diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Collected nasal epithelial cells from 41 newborn infants (term and preterm) within 5 days of birth, with repeat sampling at 12.5 months for 24 infants.
  • Generated and characterized morphologically and physiologically authentic WD-PNEC cultures using light microscopy and immunofluorescence.
  • Assessed cell differentiation, cilia coverage, mucous production, and tight junction integrity.

Main Results:

  • Successfully established WD-PNEC cultures from both term and preterm infants at birth and one year.
  • Newborn WD-PNECs exhibited extensive cilia coverage, mucous production, and tight junction integrity.
  • Newborn WD-PNECs required longer differentiation times and had higher goblet cell proportions than one-year-old cultures; no term vs. preterm differences were observed.

Conclusions:

  • Successful generation and revival of newborn-derived WD-PNEC cultures were achieved.
  • Comparison of term and preterm infant WD-PNECs at birth and one year revealed specific developmental differences.
  • These WD-PNEC cultures provide a valuable model for studying airway epithelium development and innate immune responses in infants.
Abstract

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