Role of histamine on the expression of tight junctions gene in airway epithelia / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To investigate and elucidate the role of histamine on the regulation of tight junctions(TJs) gene expression of the airway epithelial cells. METHODS We cultured primary human bronchial epithelial cells from healthy and asthmatic individuals in the presence of histamine for 96 hours in air-liquid interface (ALI) culture system. The TJs expression on the level of mRNA and protein was determined by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence (confocal microscopy), respectively. RESULTS A RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of several TJs were up- or down-regulated by histamine. However, examination by confocal microscope revealed no detectable alterations in the morphology of the tight junctions after stimulating with histamine. CONCLUSION Our findings that histamine could regulate the mRNA expression of TJs of bronchial epithelial cells. That might contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic airway inflammatory diseases.