A 3-D airway epithelial cell and macrophage co-culture system to study Rhodococcus equi infection.

We developed a 3-D equine bronchial epithelial cell (BEC) culture that fully differentiates into ciliary beating and mucus producing cells. Using this system, we evaluated how mucus affects the phagocytic activity of macrophages. Adult horse monocyte-derived macrophages were incubated with Rhodococcus equi for 4h either in the mucus layer of in vitro generated airway epithelium or on collagen coated membranes. Using light and electron microscopy, we noted that the number of macrophages with intracellular bacteria, and the number of intracellular bacteria per macrophage were lower in the presence of mucus. TNFα measurements revealed that the presence of BECs promoted TNFα production by R. equi-infected macrophages; a decrease in TLR-2 (involved in R. equi recognition) and an increase in EGF-R (involved in mucin production) mRNA expression were also noted. Interestingly, when foal macrophages were added to foal BECs, we made the opposite observation, i.e. many macrophages were loaded with R. equi. Our in vitro bronchial system shows great potential for the identification of mechanisms how BECs and mucus play a role in phagocyte activation and bacterial clearance. Further studies using this system will show whether the airway environment in the foal responds differently to R. equi infection.

Effects of in vitro exposure to hay dust on the gene expression of chemokines and cell-surface receptors in primary bronchial epithelial cell cultures established from horses with chronic recurrent airway obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To examine effects of in vitro exposure to solutions of hay dust, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or beta-glucan on chemokine and cell-surface receptor (CSR) gene expression in primary bronchial epithelial cell cultures (BECCs) established from healthy horses and horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). SAMPLE POPULATION: BECCs established from bronchial biopsy specimens of 6 RAO-affected horses and 6 healthy horses. PROCEDURES: 5-day-old BECCs were treated with PBS solution, hay dust solutions, LPS, or beta-glucan for 6 or 24 hours. Gene expression of interleukin (IL)-8, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), IL-1beta, toll-like receptor 2, toll-like receptor 4, IL-1 receptor 1, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase was measured with a kinetic PCR assay. RESULTS: Treatment with PBS solution for 6 or 24 hours was not associated with a significant difference in chemokine or CSR expression between BECCs from either group of horses. In all BECCs, treatment with hay dust or LPS for 6 hours increased IL-8, CXCL2, and IL-1beta gene expression > 3-fold; at 24 hours, only IL-1beta expression was upregulated by > 3-fold. In all BECCs, CSR gene expression was not increased following any treatment. With the exception of a 3.7-fold upregulation of CXCL2 in BECCs from RAO-affected horses (following 6-hour hay dust treatment), no differences in chemokine or CSR gene expression were detected between the 2 groups. At 24 hours, CXCL2 gene expression in all BECCs was downregulated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epithelial CXCL2 upregulation in response to hay dust particulates may incite early airway neutrophilia in horses with RAO.