Nebulized hypertonic saline triggers nervous system-mediated active liquid secretion in cystic fibrosis swine trachea

Sci Rep. 2019 Jan 24;9(1):540. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-36695-4.

Abstract

Inhaled hypertonic saline (HTS) treatment is used to improve lung health in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The current consensus is that the treatment generates an osmotic gradient that draws water into the airways and increases airway surface liquid (ASL) volume. However, there is evidence that HTS may also stimulate active secretion of ASL by airway epithelia through the activation of sensory neurons. We tested the contribution of the nervous system and airway epithelia on HTS-stimulated ASL height increase in CF and wild-type swine airway. We used synchrotron-based imaging to investigate whether airway neurons and epithelia are involved in HTS treatment-triggered ASL secretion in CFTR-/- and wild-type swine. We showed that blocking parasympathetic and sensory neurons in airway resulted in ~50% reduction of the effect of HTS treatment on ASL volume in vivo. Incubating tracheal preparations with inhibitors of epithelial ion transport across airway decreased secretory responses to HTS treatment. CFTR-/- swine ex-vivo tracheal preparations showed substantially decreased secretory response to HTS treatment after blockage of neuronal activity. Our results indicated that HTS-triggered ASL secretion is partially mediated by the stimulation of airway neurons and the subsequent activation of active epithelia secretion; osmosis accounts for only ~50% of the effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Bodily Secretions / drug effects
  • Bodily Secretions / metabolism
  • Cystic Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Cystic Fibrosis / metabolism*
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Ion Transport / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Cyst / drug therapy*
  • Mediastinal Cyst / metabolism*
  • Osmosis / drug effects
  • Respiratory Mucosa / drug effects
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic / administration & dosage
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic / pharmacology
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic / therapeutic use*
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / drug effects*
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / metabolism*
  • Swine

Substances

  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator

Grants and funding