MUC8 as a Ciliated Cell Marker in Human Nasal Epithelium / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the MUC8 mRNA expression patterns according to the mucociliary differentiation of the normal human nasal epithelial (NHNE) cells, and to investigate the localization of the MUC8 proteins in the nasal polyps. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The passage-2 NHNE cells were cultured using an air-liquid interface technique and nasal polyp specimens. On the 2, 7, 14, and 28 days after confluence, the ciliated cells were counted using cytospin slide immunostaining using H6C5 and beta-tubulin, and the MUC8 mRNA levels were determined using real-time quantitative PCR. After synthesizing the polyclonal anti-MUC8 peptide antibodies, MUC8 immunostaining was preformed using the nasal polyps. The MUC8 mRNA and protein levels were determined with the NHNE cells treated with IL-1beta (10 ng/ml for 24 hours) using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The increasing pattern of the number of ciliated cells as well as the MUC8 gene expression level with increasing culture time in the NHNE cells was quite similar. MUC8 was expressed in the ciliated cells of the human nasal polyps. The MUC8 protein level as well as the mRNA level was up-regulated as a result of the IL-1beta treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the MUC8 protein is expressed in ciliated cells from the human nasal epithelial cells and is up-regulated by the IL-1beta treatment. These results suggest that the MUC8 gene and protein expression levels might be used as a ciliated cell marker in the human nasal epithelium.