The objective of this study was to establish a drug transport study using human nasal epithelial (HNE) cell monolayers cultured by the air-liquid interface (ALI) method using serum-free medium (BEGM:DME/F12, 50:50). The cells were developed and characterized in comparison to those that have been previously cultured by the liquid-covered culture (LCC) method. The epithelial cell monolayer cultured by the ALI method resulted in a significantly higher transepithelial electrical resistance value (3,453 +/- 302 ohm x cm(2)) that was maintained (>1,000 ohm x cm(2)) for up to 20 days compared with that cultured by the LCC method. Observation by scanning electron microscopy revealed mature cilia after 2 weeks in the ALI culture, while flatten unhealthy ciliated cells were observed in the LCC method. After 21 days, higher level of MUC5AC and 8 mRNA were expressed in ALI culture which confirmed the secretory differentiation of HNE monolayers in vitro. No significant difference in the permeability coefficients of a model hydrophilic marker ((14)C-mannitol) and a lipophilic drug (budesonide) was observed between the two conditions on day 7. The passage 2-3 of the HNE monolayer using ALI condition retained the morphology and differentiated features of normal epithelium. Thus it would be a suitable model for in vitro nasal drug delivery studies.

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This study reports that acidic polysaccharide (PL) isolated from

To examine whether oral administration of proteoglycan derived from Phellinus linteus, which is known as the medicinal mushroom, can prevent or treat collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice as experimental model of autoimmune disease. CIA was induced by intradermal injection of type II collagen (CII) emulsified with complete freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the base of the tail (on day 7) followed by a booster injection on day 21 into the footpad. To examine the ability of proteoglycan to effect the inhibition of CIA, doses of proteoglycan were orally administered on day 0 (pre-administration) or day 28 (post-administration) at two groups. The inhibition of CIA by oral administration of proteoglycan was associated with decrease in anti-CII IgG and IgG2a antibodies (Abs) as well as varying kinds of cytokines including IL-12, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma. The results showed that administration of proteoglycan was followed by decrease of CIA of the mice in pre- and post-administration groups. Our findings suggest that immunomodulating proteoglycan isolated from P. linteus may be crucially involved in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune joint inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, although no definite role of anti-CII Abs in the human disease has been established.

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