Expression of Sialic Acids according to the Differentiation of Cultured Human Nasal Epithelial Cells

Suh, Kyung Sik; Kim, Kyung Su; Choi, Jin Woo; Yoon, Joo Heon; Lee, Jeung Gweon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sialic acid residues are known to play a key role in the normal function of the glycoconjugates. Recently, with the development of specific sialic acid binding lectins such as Maackia seed agglutinin(MAA) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin(SNA), it has made easier to localize the sialic acid residues by the histochemical staining methods.
OBJECTIVES
We were to observe the expression of sialic acids according to the differentiation of cultured human nasal epithelial cells by the immunohistochemistry method using Wheat germ agglutinin(WGA), MAA, and SNA.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Human nasal epithelial cell culture was done as floating method for the induction of differentiation. The cultured cells were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and the epon 812 was used as embedding material. The immunohistochemistry was done as Lim's method.
RESULTS
The WGA and MAA positive reactions were noted from the floating zero day through the fourteenth day. The reactions were positive to the squamous-like cells and differentiating cells(ciliated and secretory epithelial cells). The WGA binding patterns were homogeneous but MAA binding patterns were inhomogeneous. The SNA positive reaction was noted only in the fourteenth day and the reaction was inhomogeneous. These results meant that N-acetyl glucosamine and N-acetyl neuraminic acid(alpha 2,3) galactose were expressed from the floating zero day and N-acetyl neuraminic acid(alpha 2,6) galactose was expressed from the floating fourteenth day.
CONCLUSION
N-acetyl neuraminic acid(alpha 2,3) galactose may be more important to the primary defence of human nasal epithelial cell. Due to the inhomogeneity of the reaction, the further study using Lowicryl K4M will be needed.