Cigarette Smoke Specifically Affects Small Airway Epithelial Cell Populations and Triggers the Expansion of Inflammatory and Squamous Differentiation Associated Basal Cells.

ABSTRACT: Smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and causes remodeling of the small airways. However, the exact smoke-induced effects on the different types of small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) are poorly understood. Here, using air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals previously unrecognized transcriptional heterogeneity within the small airway epithelium and cell type-specific effects upon acute and chronic cigarette smoke exposure. Smoke triggers detoxification and inflammatory responses and aberrantly activates and alters basal cell differentiation. This results in an increase of inflammatory basal-to-secretory cell intermediates and, particularly after chronic smoke exposure, a massive expansion of a rare inflammatory a

SUBMITTER: Wohnhaas CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8305830 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature