Echo Revolve is helping research into PM2.5 induced pulmonary pathology biology

Fine air pollution particle matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) has proven particularly detrimental to human health,as exposure to ambient PM2.5 was associated with 4.2 million deaths and 103.1 million disabilityadjusted life years globally in 2015。Upon inhalation, PM2.5 first encounters the mucociliary barrier formed by highly specialized secretory and ciliated cells of the airway epithelium. In previous related studies, people have confirmed that PM2.5 is related to respiratory problems, but the pathobiological mechanism of lung pathology induced by PM2.5 is still poorly understood. Experts speculate that PM2.5 may involve cellular and molecular changes in the airway epithelium.

The study published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology extracted the organic and water-soluble components of PM2.5 polluted samples and found their chemical characteristics。The screening of the pathogens of these PM2.5 extracts uses Whole Transcriptome RNA-seq of human mucociliary air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures (RNA-Seq).

The researchers divided the extracted pollutants in PM2.5 into organic extract (OE) and water-soluble extracts (WE), and NIST that was not separated separately as a control。The results show, OE stimulations resulted in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a dose-dependent increase in the number of DEGs detected。When cells were exposed to moderate doses of OE, the expression of 424 genes was changed，including AHR signaling and IL-1-mediated inflammation. Based on the results, an OE-response gene network defined by eight functional enrichment groups, which exhibited high connectivity through CYP1A1, IL1A,and IL1B. This OE exposure also robustly activated a mucus secretory expression program (>100 genes), which included transcriptional drivers of mucus metaplasia(SPDEF, FOXA3).

Exposure to a higher OE dose modified the expression of 1,240 genes and further exacerbated expression responses observed at the moderate dose, including the mucus secretory program. Moreover, the higher OE dose significantly increased the MUC5AC/MUC5B gel-forming mucin expression ratio and strongly downregulated ciliated cell expression programs, including key ciliating cell transcription factors (FOXJ1, MCIDAS). Chronic OE stimulation induced mucus metaplasia-like remodeling characterized by increases in MUC5AC+ secretory cells and MUC5AC mucus secretions.

After obtaining the molecular and cellular level results, in order to confirm these results histologically, the researchers used Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining method to detect the culture to identify mucin-positive cells and found that chronic OE stimulated culture The number of mucin-positive cells in cultures and simulated stimulation was higher. Fluorescence immunohistochemical staining detection by Echo Revolve microscope found that under chronic OE stimulation, MUC5AC fluorescent labeling increased significantly, and its positive cells increased, indicating that this mucin is the main source of the increase in AB-PAS staining under chronic OE stimulation. These data indicate that chronic OE stimulation induces the simultaneous expansion and decrease of MUC5AC+ and MUC5B+ mucus secreting cells, respectively, leading to corresponding changes in the secretion of these mucins. Chronic OE stimulation induced mucin metaplasia-like epithelial remodeling may be the basis of adverse respiratory diseases associated with high PM2.5 exposure.

Echo Revolve Hybrid Microscope

Revolve has demonstrated its extraordinary flexibility. It can easily convert between upright and inverted microscopes. It innovatively combines upright and inverted microscopes into one, opening the hybrid era of microscopes.

☑   Retina display:Comparing eyepieces to human eyes.

☑  Full field observation: Clearer and more convenient.

☑   Multichannel fluorescence:Up to 4 EPI fluorescent channels，Multicolor fluorescence microscopic analysis can be done quickly and easily without darkroom.

☑   Automatic operation:The switch between the camera and the fluorescence channel is controlled by iPad Pro, which realizes fully automated operation.

☑   IOS-based Echo app:IOS-based Echo App is a professional microscope software developed in cooperation with the Apple team.

☑   Exquisite craftsmanship, high-end quality:Achieve extraordinary performance.