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This protocol describes nasal epithelial cell collection, expansion, and differentiation to organotypic airway epithelial cell models and quantification of cilia beat frequency via live-cell imaging and custom-built scripts.
Measurements of cilia function (beat frequency, pattern) have been established as diagnostic tools for respiratory diseases such as primary ciliary dyskinesia. However, the wider application of these techniques is limited by the extreme susceptibility of ciliary function to changes in environmental factors e.g., temperature, humidity, and pH. In the airway of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), mucus accumulation impedes cilia beating. Cilia function has been investigated in primary airway cell models as an indicator of CF Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) channel activity. However, considerable patient-to-patient variability in cilia beating frequency has been found in response to CFTR-modulating drugs, even for patients with the same CFTR mutations. Furthermore, the impact of dysfunctional CFTR-regulated chloride secretion on ciliary function is poorly understood. There is currently no comprehensive protocol demonstrating sample preparation of in vitro airway models, image acquisition, and analysis of Cilia Beat Frequency (CBF). Standardized culture conditions and image acquisition performed in an environmentally controlled condition would enable consistent, reproducible quantification of CBF between individuals and in response to CFTR-modulating drugs. This protocol describes the quantification of CBF in three different airway epithelial cell model systems: 1) native epithelial sheets, 2) air-liquid interface models imaged on permeable support inserts, and 3) extracellular matrix-embedded three-dimensional organoids. The latter two replicate in vivo lung physiology, with beating cilia and production of mucus. The ciliary function is captured using a high-speed video camera in an environment-controlled chamber. Custom-built scripts are used for the analysis of CBF. Translation of CBF measurements to the clinic is envisioned to be an important clinical tool for predicting response to CFTR-modulating drugs on a per-patient basis.
Measurements of Cilia Beat Frequency (CBF) and pattern have been established as diagnostic tools for respiratory diseases such as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)1. In Cystic Fibrosis (CF), dysfunction of the CF Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) chloride channel causes dehydration of the airway surface liquid and impaired mucociliary clearance2. Ciliary function has been investigated in vitro in primary airway cell models as an indicator of CFTR channel activity3. However, considerable patient-to-patient variability exists in CBF in response to CFTR-modulating drugs, even for pat....
Study approval was received from the Sydney Children's Hospital Network Ethics Review Board (HREC/16/SCHN/120). Written consent was obtained from all participants (or participants' guardian) prior to the collection of biospecimens.
1. Preparations for establishing airway epithelial cell models
To demonstrate the efficiency of this protocol in quantifying CBF, the results of CBF measured in airway epithelial cell ALI models derived from three participants with CF and three healthy control participants are presented. On Day 14 of culture differentiation, beating cilia were present (Figure 6). From Day 14 to 21 of culture differentiation, a statistically significant (P < 0.0345) increase in CBF was observed within both cohorts. On Day 21 of culture differentiation, the mean CBF f.......
There are multiple factors that could obscure the quantification of CBF in nasal epithelial sheets. Epithelial sheets should be imaged within 3-9 hrs of sample collection since the ciliary function is most stable during this time37. Less red blood cells and debris are most optimal for imaging since these interfere with data acquisition. When selecting an ROI for imaging, it is important to select an epithelial sheet that edge has not been damaged or disrupted during the collection of the sample, a.......
We thank the study participants and their families for their contributions. We appreciate the assistance from Sydney Children's Hospitals (SCH) Randwick respiratory department in the organization and collection of patient biospecimens - special thanks to Dr. John Widger, Dr. Yvonne Belessis, Leanne Plush, Amanda Thompson, and Rhonda Bell. We acknowledge the assistance of Iveta Slapetova and Renee Whan from the Katharina Gaus Light Microscopy Facility within the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre at UNSW Sydney. This work is supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia (GNT1188987), CF Foundation Australia, and Sydney Children's Ho....
Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
Adenine | Sigma-Aldrich | A2786 | 10 mg/mL |
Advanced DMEM/F-12 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 12634-010 | |
Alanyl-glutamine | Sigma-Aldrich | G8541 | 200 mM |
Andor Zyla 4.2 sCMOS | Oxford Instruments | Fast frame rate (>100 Hz) scientific camera | |
Bottle-top vacuum filter system | Sigma-Aldrich | CLS431098 | |
Ceftazidime hydrate | Sigma-Aldrich | A6987 | 50 mg/mL |
Cell Culture Microscope | Olympus | CKX53 | |
CFI S Plan Fluor ELWD 20XC | Nikon Instruments Inc. | MRH08230 | Long working distance objective lens. NA0.45 WD 8.2-6.9 |
Cholera toxin | Sigma-Aldrich | C8052-1MG | 200 µg/mL |
Corning Gel Strainer 40 UM | Sigma-Aldrich | CLS431750 | Pore size 40 μm |
Corning Matrigel Matrix (Phenol red-free) | Corning | 356231 | Extracellular matrix (ECM) |
Corning bottle-top vacuum filter system | Sigma-Aldrich | CLS431098 | |
Corning CoolCell LX Cell Freezing Container | Sigma-Aldrich | CLS432002 | |
Corning Transwell polyester membrane cell culture inserts | Sigma-Aldrich | CLS3470 | Permeable support inserts. 6.5 mm Transwell with 0.4 μm pore polyester membrane insert. |
Countess Cell Counting Chamber Slides | Thermo Fisher Scientific | C10228 | |
Countess II Automated Cell Counter | ThermoFisher Scientific | AMQAX1000 | Automated cell counter |
Cytology brushes | McFarlane Medical | 33009 | |
DMEM/F12-Ham | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 11330032 | |
DMEM/F12-Ham | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 11330032 | |
DMEM-High Glucose | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 11965-092 | |
Dulbecco′s Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) | Sigma-Aldrich | D8537 | |
Eclipse Ti2-E | Nikon | Live-cell imaging microscope. | |
Fetal Bovine Serum, certified, heat inactivated, United States | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 10082147 | |
Fungizone (Amphotericin B) | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 15290018 | 250 µg/mL |
Gentamicin solution | Sigma-Aldrich | G1397 | 50 mg/mL |
Graphpad Prism | Graphpad | Scientific analysis software | |
Greiner Cryo.s vials | Sigma-Aldrich | V3135 | Cryogenic vials |
HEPES solution | Sigma-Aldrich | H0887 | 1 M |
HI-FBS | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 10082-147 | |
Hydrocortisone | Sigma-Aldrich | H0888 | 3.6 mg/mL |
Incubator NL Ti2 BLACK 2000 | PeCon | Microscope environmental chamber. Allows warm air incubation and local CO2 and O2 gassing | |
Insulin | Sigma-Aldrich | I2643 | 2 mg/mL |
Lab Armor 74220 706 Waterless Bead Bath 6L | John Morris Group | 74220 706 | Bead bath |
Lab Armor Beads | Thermo Fisher Scientific | A1254302 | Thermal beads |
MATLAB | MathWorks | Computing software | |
Microsoft Excel | Microscoft | Spreadsheet software | |
NIH/3T3 | American Type Culture Collection | CRL-1658 | Irradiated NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic feeder cells |
NIS-Elements AR | Nikon Instruments Inc. | Image acquisition software | |
Penicillin-Streptomycin | Sigma-Aldrich | P4333 | 10,000 units penicillin and 10 mg streptomycin/mL |
Dulbecco′s Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) | Sigma-Aldrich | D8537 | |
PneumaCult Airway Organoid Kit | StemCell Technologies | 5060 | Airway Organoid Kit |
PneumaCult-ALI Medium | StemCell Technologies | 5001 | |
PneumaCult-Ex Plus Medium | StemCell Technologies | 5040 | |
PureCol-S | Advanced BioMatrix | 5015 | Type I Collagen solution |
ReagentPack Subculture Reagents | Lonza | CC-5034 | |
rhEGF (Epidermal Growth Factor, human) | Sigma-Aldrich | E9644 | 25 µg/mL |
Y-27632 2HCl (ROCK inhibitor) | Selleckchem | S1049 | 10 mM |
Tobramycin | Sigma-Aldrich | T4014 | 100 mg/mL |
Trypan blue solution | Sigma-Aldrich | T8154 | 0.4% |
UNO Stage Top Incubator | Okolab | Microscope incubator. Allows temperature, humidity and CO2 conditioning |
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