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In Vitro Characteristics of Canine Primary Tracheal Epithelial Cells Maintained at an Air-Liquid Interface Compared to In Vivo Morphology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054987. [PMID: 36902418 PMCID: PMC10003254 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Culturing respiratory epithelial cells at an air-liquid interface (ALI) represents an established method for studies on infection or toxicology by the generation of an in vivo-like respiratory tract epithelial cellular layer. Although primary respiratory cells from a variety of animals have been cultured, an in-depth characterization of canine tracheal ALI cultures is lacking despite the fact that canines are a highly relevant animal species susceptible to various respiratory agents, including zoonotic pathogens such as severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, canine primary tracheal epithelial cells were cultured under ALI conditions for four weeks, and their development was characterized during the entire culture period. Light and electron microscopy were performed to evaluate cell morphology in correlation with the immunohistological expression profile. The formation of tight junctions was confirmed using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements and immunofluorescence staining for the junctional protein ZO-1. After 21 days of culture at the ALI, a columnar epithelium containing basal, ciliated and goblet cells was seen, resembling native canine tracheal samples. However, cilia formation, goblet cell distribution and epithelial thickness differed significantly from the native tissue. Despite this limitation, tracheal ALI cultures could be used to investigate the pathomorphological interactions of canine respiratory diseases and zoonotic agents.
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Chapola H, de Bastiani MA, Duarte MM, Freitas MB, Schuster JS, de Vargas DM, Klamt F. A comparative study of COVID-19 transcriptional signatures between clinical samples and preclinical cell models in the search for disease master regulators and drug repositioning candidates. Virus Res 2023; 326:199053. [PMID: 36709793 PMCID: PMC9877318 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute viral disease with millions of cases worldwide. Although the number of daily new cases and deaths has been dropping, there is still a need for therapeutic alternatives to deal with severe cases. A promising strategy to prospect new therapeutic candidates is to investigate the regulatory mechanisms involved in COVID-19 progression using integrated transcriptomics approaches. In this work, we aimed to identify COVID-19 Master Regulators (MRs) using a series of publicly available gene expression datasets of lung tissue from patients which developed the severe form of the disease. We were able to identify a set of six potential COVID-19 MRs related to its severe form, namely TAL1, TEAD4, EPAS1, ATOH8, ERG, and ARNTL2. In addition, using the Connectivity Map drug repositioning approach, we identified 52 different drugs which could be used to revert the disease signature, thus being candidates for the design of novel clinical treatments. Furthermore, we compared the identified signature and drugs with the ones obtained from the analysis of nasopharyngeal swab samples from infected patients and preclinical cell models. This comparison showed significant similarities between them, although also revealing some limitations on the overlap between clinical and preclinical data in COVID-19, highlighting the need for careful selection of the best model for each disease stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Chapola
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Marco Antônio de Bastiani
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil; Zimmer Lab, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Mendes Duarte
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Matheus Becker Freitas
- Estacio College of Rio Grande do Sul (ESTACIO FARGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90020-060, Brazil
| | | | - Daiani Machado de Vargas
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil.
| | - Fábio Klamt
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil; Zimmer Lab, Biochemistry Department, Institute of Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil; National Institutes of Science & Technology, Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, RS 90035-903, Brazil; IMMUNESHARE - MCTI Trial (CNPq/MCTI #137541939766794), Brazil
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An Overview of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition in Canine Tumors: How Far Have We Come? Vet Sci 2022; 10:vetsci10010019. [PMID: 36669020 PMCID: PMC9865109 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Historically, pre-clinical and clinical studies in human medicine have provided new insights, pushing forward the contemporary knowledge. The new results represented a motivation for investigators in specific fields of veterinary medicine, who addressed the same research topics from different perspectives in studies based on experimental and spontaneous animal disease models. The study of different pheno-genotypic contexts contributes to the confirmation of translational models of pathologic mechanisms. This review provides an overview of EMT and MET processes in both human and canine species. While human medicine rapidly advances, having a large amount of information available, veterinary medicine is not at the same level. This situation should provide motivation for the veterinary medicine research field, to apply the knowledge on humans to research in pets. By merging the knowledge of these two disciplines, better and faster results can be achieved, thus improving human and canine health.
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SARS-CoV-2 Infection Dysregulates Cilia and Basal Cell Homeostasis in the Respiratory Epithelium of Hamsters. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095124. [PMID: 35563514 PMCID: PMC9102945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Similar to many other respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 targets the ciliated cells of the respiratory epithelium and compromises mucociliary clearance, thereby facilitating spread to the lungs and paving the way for secondary infections. A detailed understanding of mechanism involved in ciliary loss and subsequent regeneration is crucial to assess the possible long-term consequences of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to characterize the sequence of histological and ultrastructural changes observed in the ciliated epithelium during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in the golden Syrian hamster model. We show that acute infection induces a severe, transient loss of cilia, which is, at least in part, caused by cilia internalization. Internalized cilia colocalize with membrane invaginations, facilitating virus entry into the cell. Infection also results in a progressive decline in cells expressing the regulator of ciliogenesis FOXJ1, which persists beyond virus clearance and the termination of inflammatory changes. Ciliary loss triggers the mobilization of p73+ and CK14+ basal cells, which ceases after regeneration of the cilia. Although ciliation is restored after two weeks despite the lack of FOXJ1, an increased frequency of cilia with ultrastructural alterations indicative of secondary ciliary dyskinesia is observed. In summary, the work provides new insights into SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and expands our understanding of virally induced damage to defense mechanisms in the conducting airways.
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Färber I, Krüger J, Rocha C, Armando F, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Pöhlmann S, Braun A, Baumgärtner W, Runft S, Krüger N. Investigations on SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility of Domestic and Wild Animals Using Primary Cell Culture Models Derived from the Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract. Viruses 2022; 14:v14040828. [PMID: 35458558 PMCID: PMC9032458 DOI: 10.3390/v14040828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several animal species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as documented by case reports and serological and in vivo infection studies. However, the susceptibility of many animal species remains unknown. Furthermore, the expression patterns of SARS-CoV-2 entry factors, such as the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), as well as transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2) and cathepsin L (CTSL), cellular proteases involved in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein activation, are largely unexplored in most species. Here, we generated primary cell cultures from the respiratory tract of domestic and wildlife animals to assess their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, the presence of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and CTSL within respiratory tract compartments was investigated in a range of animals, some with unknown susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Productive viral replication was observed in the nasal mucosa explants and precision-cut lung slices from dogs and hamsters, whereas culture models from ferrets and multiple ungulate species were non-permissive to infection. Overall, whereas TMPRSS2 and CTSL were equally expressed in the respiratory tract, the expression levels of ACE2 were more variable, suggesting that a restricted availability of ACE2 may contribute to reduced susceptibility. Summarized, the experimental infection of primary respiratory tract cell cultures, as well as an analysis of entry-factor distribution, enable screening for SARS-CoV-2 animal reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Färber
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (I.F.); (J.K.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Johannes Krüger
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (I.F.); (J.K.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Cheila Rocha
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (C.R.); (S.P.); (N.K.)
| | - Federico Armando
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (I.F.); (J.K.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany;
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (C.R.); (S.P.); (N.K.)
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Armin Braun
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Wolfgang Baumgärtner
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (I.F.); (J.K.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-953-8620; Fax: +49-511-953-8675
| | - Sandra Runft
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (I.F.); (J.K.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (C.R.); (S.P.); (N.K.)
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Aerosol-Cell Exposure System Applied to Semi-Adherent Cells for Aerosolization of Lung Surfactant and Nanoparticles Followed by High Quality RNA Extraction. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12081362. [PMID: 35458071 PMCID: PMC9028274 DOI: 10.3390/nano12081362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle toxicity assessments have moved closer to physiological conditions while trying to avoid the use of animal models. An example of new in vitro exposure techniques developed is the exposure of cultured cells at the air-liquid interface (ALI), particularly in the case of respiratory airways. While the commercially available VITROCELL® Cloud System has been applied for the delivery of aerosolized substances to adherent cells under ALI conditions, it has not yet been tested on lung surfactant and semi-adherent cells such as alveolar macrophages, which are playing a pivotal role in the nanoparticle-induced immune response. OBJECTIVES In this work, we developed a comprehensive methodology for coating semi-adherent lung cells cultured at the ALI with aerosolized surfactant and subsequent dose-controlled exposure to nanoparticles (NPs). This protocol is optimized for subsequent transcriptomic studies. METHODS Semi-adherent rat alveolar macrophages NR8383 were grown at the ALI and coated with lung surfactant through nebulization using the VITROCELL® Cloud 6 System before being exposed to TiO2 NM105 NPs. After NP exposures, RNA was extracted and its quantity and quality were measured. RESULTS The VITROCELL® Cloud system allowed for uniform and ultrathin coating of cells with aerosolized surfactant mimicking physiological conditions in the lung. While nebulization of 57 μL of 30 mg/mL TiO2 and 114 μL of 15 mg/mL TiO2 nanoparticles yielded identical cell delivered dose, the reproducibility of dose as well as the quality of RNA extracted were better for 114 μL.
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