PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - EA Cowley
AU  - CG Wang
AU  - D Gosselin
AU  - D Radzioch
AU  - DH Eidelman
TI  - Mucociliary clearance in cystic fibrosis knockout mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.97.10102312
DP  - 1997 Oct 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 2312--2318
VI  - 10
IP  - 10
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/10/2312.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/10/2312.full
SO  - Eur Respir J1997 Oct 01; 10
AB  - In this study, we examined whether mucociliary clearance differed between cystic fibrosis (CF) knockout mice and wildtype controls. Additionally, we investigated whether infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common pathogen in the CF lung, affected this important host defence mechanism. Ciliary beat frequency (fcb) and particle transport (PT) were recorded using an in vitro lung explant preparation. Measurements were made from uninfected cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) knockout (-/-) mice and littermate controls (+/+) and compared to measurements from infected animals. While there were no differences detectable in fcb between CFTR -/- mice and their +/+ controls either in the presence or absence of P. aeruginosa, PT rates were different between these groups; interestingly, PT rates appeared dependent on both CFTR and infection status, with uninfected CFTR +/+ animals demonstrating higher rates of PT than their -/- littermates, while CFTR +/+ P. aeruginosa-infected mice demonstrated lower PT than knockout mice. These data demonstrate differences in mucociliary clearance between cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator knockout mice and controls, and further that Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection affects mucociliary clearance in the peripheral airways of mice. Additionally, the observed differences in particle transport suggest that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator knockout mice demonstrate different mucociliary responses to infection.