Cytokine Production from Cultured Nasal Mucosal Epithelium by Staphylococcus Aureus Enterotoxin Stimulation—Comparison with Mite Antigen Stimulation—

Abstract

Infection and inflammation enhance hyper-sensitivity of the airway mucosa, and promote the onset and severity of allergic diseases. In this study, commercial non-inflammatory cultured nasal epithelial cells were set up to elucidate the inflammatory reaction based on analyzing cytokine production by stimulation of S. aureus enterotoxin and/or house dust mite antigen directly on the nasal epithelium without effects from the network of infiltrating leukocytes or subepithelial matrix.

A culture experiment using human nasal epithelial cells was performed. Single or co-stimulation was carried out with S. aureus enterotoxin B (0, 5, 10 μg/ml) and mite antigen (Der f 1) (0, 5, 10 μg/ml), and cytokines in the culture supernatant were quantified by ELISA. Although IL-4, 13, 17, 25, 33, and TNF-α were not detected, IL-5 and 8 were detected after the stimulation with Der f 1 and enterotoxin B. However, dose dependency between the stimulation and cytokine products was not observed. IL-6 production tended to increase in a dose-dependent manner 24 hours after stimulation with Der f1 and enterotoxin B. Synergistic effects from the two types of stimulation were not observed. Although VEGF production tended to increase in a dose-dependent manner after stimulation with Der f1, it conversely decreased by stimulation with a higher dose of enterotoxin B within 24 hours. After stimulation with 5 or 10 μg/ml of enterotoxin B, VEGF production tended to increase in a dose-dependent manner.

It has been reported that some cytokines affect other cytokine production in epithelial cells. Taking this into account, IL-6 and VEGF production may indirectly affect other cytokines, as well as each other, via cytokine receptors on epithelial cells.