An Open Microfluidic Coculture Model of Fibroblasts and Eosinophils to Investigate Mechanisms of Airway Inflammation

Zeng, Y.; Su, X.; Takezawa, M. G.; Fichtinger, P. S.; Lee, U. N.; Pippin, J. W.; Shankland, S. J.; Lim, F. Y.; Denlinger, L. C.; Jarjour, N. N.; Mathur, S. K.; Sandbo, N.; Berthier, E.; Esnault, S.; Bernau, K.; Theberge, A. B.

doi:10.1101/2022.07.11.499658

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.07.11.499658

An Open Microfluidic Coculture Model of Fibroblasts and Eosinophils to Investigate Mechanisms of Airway Inflammation

Zeng, Y.·Su, X.·Takezawa, M. G.·Fichtinger, P. S.·Lee, U. N.·Pippin, J. W.·Shankland, S. J.·Lim, F. Y.·Denlinger, L. C.·Jarjour, N. N.·Mathur, S. K.·Sandbo, N.·Berthier, E.·Esnault, S.·Bernau, K.·Theberge, A. B.

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Interactions between fibroblasts and immune cells play an important role in tissue inflammation. Previous studies have found that eosinophils activated with interleukin-3 (IL-3) degranulate on aggregated immunoglobulin G (IgG) and release mediators that activate fibroblasts in the lung. However, these studies were done with eosinophil-conditioned media that have the capacity to investigate only one-way signaling from eosinophils to fibroblasts. Here, we demonstrate a coculture model of primary normal human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) and human blood eosinophils from patients with allergy and asthma using an open microfluidic coculture device. In our device, the two types of cells can communicate via two-way soluble factor signaling in the shared media while being physically separated by a half wall. Initially, we assessed the level of eosinophil degranulation by their release of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN). Next, we analyzed the inflammation-associated genes and soluble factors using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and multiplex immunoassays, respectively. Our results suggest an induction of a proinflammatory fibroblast phenotype of HLFs following the coculture with degranulating eosinophils, validating our previous findings. Additionally, we present a new result that indicate potential impacts of activated HLFs back on eosinophils. This open microfluidic coculture platform provides unique opportunities to investigate the intercellular signaling between the two cell types and their roles in airway inflammation and remodeling.

Source connections

Published article ↗

Explore related subjects

cell biology Preprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Zeng, Y., Su, X., Takezawa, M. G., Fichtinger, P. S., Lee, U. N., Pippin, J. W., Shankland, S. J., Lim, F. Y., Denlinger, L. C., Jarjour, N. N., Mathur, S. K., Sandbo, N., Berthier, E., Esnault, S., Bernau, K., Theberge, A. B.. 2022-07-11. An Open Microfluidic Coculture Model of Fibroblasts and Eosinophils to Investigate Mechanisms of Airway Inflammation. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.11.499658

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Functional characterization of Rho GTPase activating proteins SYDE1 and SYDE2

The human genome encodes more than 60 proteins containing Rho GTPase activating protein (RhoGAP) domains, many of which remain understudied with respect to their target specificity and biological roles. SYDE1 and SYDE2 are two such orphan RhoGAPs, for which there are few studies characterizing their biochemical and cellular functions and conflicting reports identifying their cognate GTPases. We previously identified SYDE1 and SYDE2 in a screen for substrates of the c-Jun N-terminal kinases. Here, we show that SYDE1 and SYDE2 are preferentially phosphorylated by JNK1 relative to other mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) at sites proximal to a kinase docking region. Purified SYDE1 and SYDE2 are shown to have significant catalytic GAP activity toward RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42. However, neither up- nor down-regulation of SYDE1/2 expression leads to detectable changes in bulk GTP loading of any of these GTPases. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that SYDE1 and SYDE2, in a partially GAP-dependent manner, increase cell spreading and number of focal adhesions, and promote more directionally persistent migration in HEK293 cells. Together, these findings establish SYDE1 and SYDE2 as robust JNK substrates with catalytic activity toward a set of Rho GTPases and reveal basic functions of SYDE1 and SYDE2 in regulating cell morphology, adhesion, and migration.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The filopodial scaffold polyphosphate dictates cell adhesion-versus-invasion decisions

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is an ancient polymer conserved across all life, serving cell type and location specific functions in every major compartment. Yet its role at the plasma membrane, where it accumulates to peak levels in many primary cells, is largely unknown. Here we identify polyP as a stabilizing component of filopodia, actin based membrane protrusions that govern cell adhesion, contact inhibition, and chemotaxis. Elevating cellular polyP increases filopodial stability and enhances cell adhesion, whereas reducing polyP accelerates filopodial disassembly and promotes cell migration. Mechanistically, we find that polyP acts as a structural filopodial scaffold, recruiting and organizing IRSp53, a membrane curvature inducing protein. We show that metastatic fibroblasts and breast cancer organoids carry markedly reduced and intracellularly reorganized polyP levels relative to their non transformed counterparts. Restoring endogenous polyP via lipid nanoparticle delivery suppresses their invasive phenotypes and reverses prometastatic gene expression signatures, implicating polyP as a primordial tumor suppressor.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Mitochondrial transfer mediates metabolic communication between beta cells and islet macrophages

Pancreatic islet macrophages support islet homeostasis and adapt their metabolic program in response to environmental cues, including beta cell released factors. Intercellular mitochondrial transfer is a biological process that modulates cellular responses. To test whether beta cells, which are strongly secretory, transfer mitochondria to islet macrophages, we generated mice with beta cell-specific expression of mitochondrial GFP (PhAMfloxIns1Cre). We demonstrate that beta cells transfer mitochondria to islet macrophages in vivo and in vitro. Diabetogenic stressors did not alter the frequency of mitochondrial transfer and macrophages containing beta cell-derived GFP exhibit increased protein synthesis rates. RNA-seq identified upregulation of activity-regulated cytoskeleton associated protein (Arc) in macrophages receiving beta cell-derived mitochondria, while disruption of actin cytoskeleton dynamics prevented mitochondrial transfer. Together, these findings identify mitochondrial transfer as a previously unrecognized mechanism of beta cell-macrophage communication that may contribute to islet homeostasis and immune regulation.

cell biology↗