Airway epithelial cells are crucial for mucosal and adaptive immunity as they produce mucins that trap and clear inhaled particulates by mucociliary activity, and also secrete diverse inflammatory mediators. But whether these cells respond in a memory-dependent manner to a secondary exposure is poorly studied. Our recent studies have highlighted the role of 'memory-based' or trained immune responses. In this proposal we would like to probe for the molecular basis underlying the memory-based response in AECs. We will first establish an in-vitro model of memory-based responses using differentiated AECs. Here we will delineate the kinetics of memory-based response in AECs using a microbial ligand, LPS or endotoxin. The cells will be grown in air-liquid interface to study the effect of memory response on mucous phenotype. The RNAseq analyses will be performed on AECs exposed to endotoxin and compared to that of non-exposed AECs to determine the changes in coding and noncoding RNA regions. SOURCE: Hitendra,S,Chand (hchand@fiu.edu) -  Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE139370: Immediate early transcriptional responses of airway epithelial cells