Organ culture at the air-liquid interface maintains structural and functional integrities of inflammatory and fibrovascular cells of nasal polyps.

BACKGROUND

Both inflammatory and fibrovascular cells play an important role in development of nasal polyps (NPs). In this study, we have developed a culture system to maintain structural and functional integrities of submucosal cells in vitro.

METHODS

NP tissue was cultured on a gelatin sponge at air-liquid (AL) interface or was cultured in submerging. Tissues were analyzed for survival, structural integrity, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression.

RESULTS

Most cells of NPs cultured in submerging died within 3 days. In culture at the AL interface, epithelium as well as submucosa kept structural integrity during the culture period. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that submucosa cells displayed VEGF expression, which is a major inducer of angiogenesis and edema of NPs.

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first demonstration that organ culture of NPs at the AL interface retains integrity of both epithelium and submucosa and this culture method possibly will be used to study the pathogenesis of NPs.