Physical and transport properties of sputum from children with idiopathic bronchiectasis.

Background: Childhood idiopathic bronchiectasis (IB) unrelated to cystic fibrosis (CF) or known immunodeficiency remains a common problem among indigenous populations in developed and developing countries. The physical and transport properties of sputum among children with IB have not been described, and these properties may suggest therapies that would be particularly effective for this group of children.

Methods: Sputum from children in stable condition with IB and chronic daily productive cough was collected to measure viscosity, elasticity, cohesivity, adhesivity, and mucociliary and cough transportability in vitro.

Pranlukast inhibits NF-kappaB activation and MUC2 gene expression in cultured human epithelial cells.

Pranlukast is a selective cysteinyl leukotriene(1 )(cysLT(1)) receptor antagonist, and is now widely used in the treatment of asthma. The anti-asthmatic effect of pranlukast may be rendered not only by antileukotriene activity, but also by other pharmacological activity. This study was designed to investigate whether pranlukast had inhibitory effects on nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and mucin gene expression in cultured human epithelial cells.

Roxithromycin suppresses mucin gene expression in epithelial cells.

Macrolide antibiotics are believed to inhibit mucus secretion but the mechanism of action is unclear. This study was designed to investigate an effect of roxithromycin on MUC2 gene expression in cultured intestinal epithelial cells (HM3-MUC2 cells). A reporter gene assay was used for analysis.

Lipoblastoma of the neck: a case report and literature review.

Lipoblastoma is a rare benign tumor arising from embryonic white fat. We describe a case of huge lipoblastoma of the neck in a 1-year-old boy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 7 x 7 cm neck mass that extruded into the parapharyngeal and paratracheal spaces.

Hyperosmolar solutions stimulate mucus secretion in the ferret trachea.

Study Objectives: Inhalation of hypertonic saline or mannitol solutions acutely increases mucociliary clearance. Because increased clearance is often coupled with increased mucus secretion, we hypothesized that hyperosmolar agents would stimulate mucus secretion.

Setting And Subjects: The isolated tracheae of healthy young adult ferrets were studied in a basic research laboratory.

Mucin gene expression in the effusions of otitis media with effusion.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to know if mucin gene expression can be detected in the middle ear effusion and if so, which mucin genes are expressed in the effusions.

Methods: Mucin gene expression in the middle ear effusions obtained from five patients with otitis media with effusion were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) were extracted from the effusion and the expression of 12 mucin genes was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Effects of dexamethasone on mucin gene expression in cultured human nasal epithelial cells.

Objective: To clarify 1) which mucin gene expression is influenced by glucocorticoid and 2) whether glucocorticoid influences steady-state mucin expression or mucin gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide.

Methods: Dissociated cells obtained from nasal polyps were cultured on a collagen gel substrate in an air-liquid interface. Dexamethasone was added to the culture medium in the steady-state and prior to the stimulation by LPS.