TOLLIP and MUC5B modulate the effect of ambient NO on respiratory symptoms in infancy.

Background: Current knowledge suggests that the gene region containing MUC5B and TOLLIP plays a role in airway defence and airway inflammation, and hence respiratory disease. It is also known that exposure to air pollution increases susceptibility to respiratory disease. We aimed to study whether the effect of air pollutants on the immune response and respiratory symptoms in infants may be modified by polymorphisms in MUC5B and TOLLIP genes.

Differences in autophagy marker levels at birth in preterm vs. term infants.

Background: Preterm infants are susceptible to oxidative stress and prone to respiratory diseases. Autophagy is an important defense mechanism against oxidative-stress-induced cell damage and involved in lung development and respiratory morbidity. We hypothesized that autophagy marker levels differ between preterm and term infants.

Diagnostic testing in people with primary ciliary dyskinesia: An international participatory study.

Diagnostic tests are important in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a rare disease, to confirm the diagnosis and characterize the disease. We compared diagnostic tests for PCD between countries worldwide, assessed whether people with PCD recall their tests, and identified factors associated with the use of tests. We used cross-sectional data from COVID-PCD-an international participatory cohort study collecting information directly from people with PCD.

The Cilialyzer - A freely available open-source software for the analysis of mucociliary activity in respiratory cells.

Background And Objective: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder causing a defective ciliary structure, which predominantly leads to an impaired mucociliary clearance and associated airway disease. As there is currently no single diagnostic gold standard test, PCD is diagnosed by a combination of several methods comprising genetic testing and the examination of the ciliary structure and function. Among the approved diagnostic methods, only high-speed video microscopy (HSVM) allows to directly observe the ciliary motion and therefore, to directly assess ciliary function.

Effect of Combined Hypertonic Saline and Salbutamol on Ciliary Beating Frequency and Mucociliary Transport in Human Nasal Epithelial Cells of Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

Inhalation of hypertonic saline (HS) is standard of care in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, it is unclear if adding salbutamol has-besides bronchodilation-further benefits, for example, on the mucociliary clearance. We assessed this by measuring the ciliary beating frequency (CBF) and the mucociliary transport rate (MCT) in nasal epithelial cells (NECs) of healthy volunteers and patients with CF.

How I Do It: Transperineal prostate biopsy using local anesthetic in an outpatient setting.

Transperineal prostate biopsy (TPPB) is proven to be an effective diagnostic tool for prostate cancer detection. It allows satisfactory sampling of apical and anterior areas which is not well achieved with the transrectal route, without the associated risks of urinary tract infection or sepsis. The main objective of this paper is to describe the technique utilized in our institution to perform transperineal prostate biopsy under local anesthetic in the outpatient clinic setting.

Respiratory symptoms of Swiss people with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Background: Mostly derived from chart reviews, where symptoms are recorded in a nonstandardised manner, clinical data about primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) are inconsistent, which leads to missing and unreliable information. We assessed the prevalence and frequency of respiratory and ear symptoms and studied differences by age and sex among an unselected population of Swiss people with PCD.

Methods: We sent a questionnaire that included items from the FOLLOW-PCD standardised questionnaire to all Swiss PCD registry participants.

Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia: discrepancy according to different algorithms.

Background: Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is challenging since there is no gold standard test. The European Respiratory (ERS) and American Thoracic (ATS) Societies developed evidence-based diagnostic guidelines with considerable differences.

Objective: We aimed to compare the algorithms published by the ERS and the ATS with each other and with our own PCD-UNIBE algorithm in a clinical setting.

Diesel exposure increases susceptibility of primary human nasal epithelial cells to rhinovirus infection.

Nasal epithelial cells (NECs) are among the first cells to be exposed to air pollutants and respiratory viruses. Although it is known that air pollution exposure and rhinovirus infections increase the risk for asthma development independently, it is unclear how these risk factors interact on a cellular level. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM) modifies the response of primary NECs to rhinovirus (RV) infection in vitro.

Nasal microbiota and symptom persistence in acute respiratory tract infections in infants.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) in infancy have been implicated in the development of chronic respiratory disease, but the complex interplay between viruses, bacteria and host is not completely understood. We aimed to prospectively determine whether nasal microbiota changes occur between the onset of the first symptomatic ARI in the first year of life and 3 weeks later, and to explore possible associations with the duration of respiratory symptoms, as well as with host, environmental and viral factors. Nasal microbiota of 167 infants were determined at both time-points by 16S ribosomal RNA-encoding gene PCR amplification and subsequent pyrosequencing.

Response of cord blood cells to environmental, hereditary and perinatal factors: A prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Many studies investigating the impact of individual risk factors on cord blood immune cell counts may be biased given that cord blood composition is influenced by a multitude of factors. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate the relative impact of environmental, hereditary and perinatal factors on cord blood cells.

Methods: In 295 neonates from the prospective Basel-Bern Infant Lung Development Cohort, we performed complete blood counts and fluorescence-activated cell sorting scans of umbilical cord blood.

Gasoline particle filter reduces oxidative DNA damage in bronchial epithelial cells after whole gasoline exhaust exposure in vitro.

A substantial amount of traffic-related particle emissions is released by gasoline cars, since most diesel cars are now equipped with particle filters that reduce particle emissions. Little is known about adverse health effects of gasoline particles, and particularly, whether a gasoline particle filter (GPF) influences the toxicity of gasoline exhaust emissions. We drove a dynamic test cycle with a gasoline car and studied the effect of a GPF on exhaust composition and airway toxicity.

Assessment of lung cell toxicity of various gasoline engine exhausts using a versatile in vitro exposure system.

Adverse effect studies of gasoline exhaust are scarce, even though gasoline direct injection (GDI) vehicles can emit a high number of particles. The aim of this study was to conduct an in vitro hazard assessment of different GDI exhausts using two different cell culture models mimicking the human airway. In addition to gasoline particle filters (GPF), the effects of two lubrication oils with low and high ash content were assessed, since it is known that oils are important contributors to exhaust emissions.

Effects of gasoline and ethanol-gasoline exhaust exposure on human bronchial epithelial and natural killer cells in vitro.

Air pollution exposure, including passenger car emissions, may cause substantial respiratory health effects and cancer death. In western countries, the majority of passenger cars are driven by gasoline fuel. Recently, new motor technologies and ethanol fuels have been introduced to the market, but potential health effects have not been thoroughly investigated.

Exposure to silver nanoparticles affects viability and function of natural killer cells, mostly via the release of ions.

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in linking innate and adaptive immune responses, especially during viral infections and tumor surveillance. They have two major effector functions: the killing of stressed/abnormal cells and the release of cytokines. Their activity is regulated via inhibitory and activating surface receptors.

Hazard identification of exhausts from gasoline-ethanol fuel blends using a multi-cellular human lung model.

Ethanol can be produced from biomass and as such is renewable, unlike petroleum-based fuel. Almost all gasoline cars can drive with fuel containing 10% ethanol (E10), flex-fuel cars can even use 85% ethanol (E85). Brazil and the USA already include 10-27% ethanol in their standard fuel by law.

Diesel exposure suppresses natural killer cell function and resolution of eosinophil inflammation: a randomized controlled trial of exposure in allergic rhinitics.

Exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) is known to exacerbate allergic inflammation, including virus-induced eosinophil activation in laboratory animals. We have previously shown that in human volunteers with allergic rhinitis a short-term exposure to DE prior to infection with the live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) increases markers of allergic inflammation in the nasal mucosa. Specifically, levels of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) were significantly enhanced in individuals exposed to DE prior to inoculation with LAIV and this effect was maintained for at least seven days.

Effect of Broccoli Sprouts and Live Attenuated Influenza Virus on Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study.

Unlabelled: Enhancing antiviral host defense responses through nutritional supplementation would be an attractive strategy in the fight against influenza. Using inoculation with live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) as an infection model, we have recently shown that ingestion of sulforaphane-containing broccoli sprout homogenates (BSH) reduces markers of viral load in the nose. To investigate the systemic effects of short-term BSH supplementation in the context of LAIV-inoculation, we examined peripheral blood immune cell populations in non-smoking subjects from this study, with a particular focus on NK cells.

Ultrathin Ceramic Membranes as Scaffolds for Functional Cell Coculture Models on a Biomimetic Scale.

Epithelial tissue serves as an interface between biological compartments. Many in vitro epithelial cell models have been developed as an alternative to animal experiments to answer a range of research questions. These in vitro models are grown on permeable two-chamber systems; however, commercially available, polymer-based cell culture inserts are around 10 μm thick.

Human Rhinovirus Types and Association with Respiratory Symptoms During the First Year of Life.

Human rhinoviruses (HRV) cause respiratory infections and are associated with asthma development. We assessed HRV prevalence, types and association with respiratory symptoms in the first year of life in 20 unselected infants. HRV was detected in 32% of 825 weekly nasal swabs.

Interaction with epithelial cells modifies airway macrophage response to ozone.

The initial innate immune response to ozone (O3) in the lung is orchestrated by structural cells, such as epithelial cells, and resident immune cells, such as airway macrophages (Macs). We developed an epithelial cell-Mac coculture model to investigate how epithelial cell-derived signals affect Mac response to O3. Macs from the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of healthy volunteers were cocultured with the human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) or alveolar (A549) epithelial cell lines.