Functional genomics of human bronchial epithelial cells interacting with conidiospores of Aspergillus fumigatus

ABSTRACT: The cells of the airway epithelium play critical roles in host defense to inhaled irritants, and in asthma pathogenesis. These cells are constantly exposed to conidiospores of the ubiquitous mould Aspergillus fumigatus, which are small enough to reach the alveoli. This exposure is asymptomatic in most individuals but can be associated with a spectrum of diseases ranging from asthma and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis to aspergilloma and invasive aspergillosis. Airway epithelial cells have been shown to internalize A. fumigatus conidiospores in vitro, but the implications of this process for pathogenesis remain unclear. We have developed a cell culture model for this interaction using the 16HBE cell line and a transgenic A. fumigatus strain expressing green fluorescent protein. Comparing the transcriptional profiles of control cells and cells exposed to A. fumigatus conidiospores using Agilent Whole Human Genome microarrays revealed significant changes in gene expression in response to the presence of conidiospores. The identification of biologically relevant responses validates this methodology, and motivates further work to characterize the interactions between A. fumigatus conidiospores and primary airway epithelial cells of normal and asthmatic origins. Gene expression levels were investigated in 16HBE cells incubated in the presence or absence of A. fumigatus conidiospores for 6 hours. Four independent cell samples were analysed for each of these conditions, using Agilent Whole Human Genome microarrays, with a one-colour experiemntal design.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Scott Tebbutt 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-16628 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress