Investigation of nasal epithelial cells as a surrogate for bronchial epithelial cells in the research of equine asthma.
Authors: Lee Diane Frances, Everest David James, Cooley William, Chambers Mark Andrew
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Nasal Epithelial Cells as a Practical Research Tool for Equine Asthma Equine asthma—encompassing conditions previously termed RAO and IAD—remains a significant welfare and performance concern, yet research progress has been constrained by the invasive sampling procedures required to obtain bronchial tissue. Lee and colleagues demonstrate that the nasal brush method (NBM), a minimally invasive technique performed under standing sedation via light brushing of the ventral nasal meatus, yields epithelial cells with identical differentiation markers to those harvested from deeper airways. When cultured as three-dimensional spheroids or air-liquid interface models, these nasal cells respond predictably to interleukin-13 stimulation, and notably, this inflammatory response can be suppressed through Notch pathway modulation using the gamma-secretase inhibitor Semagecestat—a mechanism not previously documented in equine research. The practical significance is two-fold: the NBM substantially reduces animal burden, potentially enabling larger, more robust study populations, whilst the functional equivalence of nasal tissue validates a One Health research framework that strengthens translational connections between equine and human asthma biology and may accelerate identification of shared therapeutic targets.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Non-invasive nasal brush sampling could enable larger, more feasible research studies on equine asthma by replacing invasive bronchial biopsy procedures
- •This alternative sampling method may accelerate translation of asthma research findings into clinical therapies by reducing practical barriers to recruitment
- •Findings suggest Notch signalling pathways warrant investigation as potential therapeutic targets for managing equine airway inflammation
Key Findings
- •Nasal epithelial cells obtained via nasal brush method express the same differentiation markers as bronchial epithelial cells, providing a non-invasive sampling alternative
- •Nasal epithelial cells cultured as 3-D spheroids or air-liquid interface cultures respond to interleukin-13 inflammatory stimulus
- •Gamma-secretase inhibitor Semagecestat attenuates IL-13-induced inflammation through Notch signalling pathway modulation in equine airway epithelial cells