Biology subjects

Chand, H. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Chand, H. S..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

E-Cigarette Synthetic Cooling Agent WS-23 and Nicotine Aerosols Differentially Modulate Airway Epithelial Cell Responses

Electronic cigarette (e-cig) aerosol/vape exposures are strongly associated with pulmonary dysfunctions, and the airway epithelial cells (AECs) of respiratory passages play a pivotal role in understanding this association. However, not much is known about the effect of synthetic cooling agents such as WS-23 on AECs. WS-23 is a synthetic menthol-like cooling agent widely used to enhance the appeal of e-cigs and to suppress the harshness and bitterness of other e-cig constituents. Using primary human AECs, we compared the effects of aerosolized WS-23 with propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin (PG/VG) vehicle control and nicotine aerosol exposures. AECs treated with 3% WS-23 aerosols showed a significant increase in viable cell numbers compared to PG/VG-vehicle aerosol exposed cells and cell growth was comparable following 2.5% nicotine aerosol exposure. AEC inflammatory factors, IL-6 and ICAM-1 levels were significantly suppressed by WS-23 aerosols compared to PG/VG-controls. When differentiated AECs were challenged with WS-23 aerosols, there was a significant increase in MUC5AC+ goblet cells with no discernible change in SCGB1A1+ secretory cells. Compared to PG/VG-controls, WS-23 or nicotine aerosols presented with increased goblet cell numbers, but there was no synergistic effect of WS-23+nicotine combination exposure. Thus, WS-23 and nicotine aerosols modulate the AEC responses and induce goblet cell hyperplasia, which could impact the airway physiology and susceptibility to respiratory diseases.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2020

Lung Bronchial Epithelial Cells are HIV Targets for Proviral Genomic Integration

In the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), obstructive lung diseases (OLDs) are common among the people living with HIV (PLWH); however, the mechanism by which HIV induces OLDs is unclear. Although human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) express HIV coreceptors and are critical in regulating lung immune responses, their role in transmitting HIV remains unclear. Herein, we present evidence that HIV-1 infects normal HBECs and the viral DNA is integrated in the genome to establish the viral latency. To prove that HIV productively infects HBECs, we demonstrate: (a) along with CXCR4, HBECs express the HIV-receptor CD4, and are induced to express CCR5 by IL-13 treatment; (b) following infection with HIV, HBECs produce HIV-p24 and contain the latent HIV provirus, which is activated by endotoxin and/or vorinostat; (c) DNA from HIV-1 infected HBECs contains the HIV-specific gag and nef genes, along with Alu sequences, confirming the integration of HIV in the host DNA; (d) the lung epithelial cells of HIV-infected subjects and SHIV-infected cynomolgus macaques are positive for HIV-specific transcripts. Thus, these studies suggest that HIV establishes latency in lung epithelial cells, making them potential HIV reservoirs. The long-living lung epithelial cells, activated by commonly encountered lung infections, might represent an ideal HIV target/reservoir, contributing to OLDs and other HIV-associated lung comorbidities.

physiology↗