Maternal vitamin D and E intakes during early pregnancy are associated with airway epithelial cell responses in neonates.

Background: Antenatal factors including maternal diet may predispose to airway disease, possibly by impacting on fetal airway development.

Objective: This cohort study tested the hypothesis that maternal vitamin D and E status in early pregnancy is associated with airway epithelial cell (AEC) responses in new born infants and examined constitutive and TNFα/IL-1β, house dust mite (HDM) extract or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated neonatal AEC responses in vitro.

Methods: Maternal dietary vitamin D and E intakes (plasma 25[OH]D3 or α-tocopherol) were characterized at 10-12 weeks gestation.

Culture of airway epithelial cells from neonates sampled within 48-hours of birth.

Introduction: Little is known about how neonatal airway epithelial cell phenotype impacts on respiratory disease in later life. This study aimed to establish a methodology to culture and characterise neonatal nasal epithelial cells sampled from healthy, non-sedated infants within 48 hours of delivery.

Methods: Nasal epithelial cells were sampled by brushing both nostrils with an interdental brush, grown to confluence and sub-cultured.

Inhibitory effects of Montelukast on mediator release by nasal epithelial cells from asthmatic subjects with or without allergic rhinitis.

Aims: This study tested inhibitory effects of in vitro Montelukast treatment on nasal airway epithelial cells (AEC) cultured from asthmatic patients treated with Montelukast with and without concomitant allergic rhinitis. We further examined the effect of Montelukast withdrawal in these patients on cytokine release from cultured nasal AEC.

Methods: Nasal AEC were collected by brushings from subjects with a history of stable (no exacerbations or change in medication for ≥ 1 month) physician confirmed mild/moderate asthma whose asthma symptoms were documented to benefit from Montelukast treatment (NCT01230437).