Regulation of Apoptosis in Cultured Nasal Airway Epithelial Cells of Children

Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, plays a key role in many human
disorders. Disruption of the tight regulation of apoptosis in the lungs of
infants and young children may therefore contribute to both short and long term
organ dysfunction. Enviromental factors and patient dependent parameters can
influence apoptosis. Current studies on this subject collect airway epithelium
using endotracheal cytobrushing in intubated patients. Simple nasal
cytobrushing might be an easier way to collect patient samples. In this study
we propose to perform ex vivo experiments on apoptosis with isolated and
cultured nasal airway epithelial cells of children.

To examine the apoptotic response of isolated and cultured airway epithelial
cells of infants to a wide variety of cytotoxic agents and potential apoptotic
stimulants ex vivo. These include oxygen, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite,
cigarette smoke extract and viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens.To
compare these findings with the results of similar experiments on lung
epithelium.

Observational study ex vivo.

Sample collection will be performed by nasal cytobrushing. No complications of
any kind are expected from the sample collection procedures and patient burden
will be minimal. Because this study focuses on the regulation of apoptosis of
the respiratory epithelium of children only subjects in the specified age group
can be included. The subjects have no direct potential benefit of
participation, but the results of this study are beneficial to children in this
age group in general.