Inducing a Mucosal Barrier-Sparing Inflammatory Response in Laboratory-Grown Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cells.

Here we use the toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 agonist poly I:C (LMW) to induce an inflammatory response in cells of submerged and/or air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures of human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). The inflammatory response is determined by measuring interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mucosal barrier integrity is determined by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and passage of fluorescently labeled dextrans. Stimulation with poly (I:C) LMW induces a 15- to 17-fold increase in IL-6 production by HNEC-ALI cells. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.