University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed a novel research model for the human respiratory tract. The model better reflects the mucosal environment found in the human respiratory tract through a combination of a synthetic airway surface media that is a biomimic for sputum, and differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells.
Description
Traditionally, small animal models have been used to study respiratory infections; however, these models are limited in their use and do not accurately reflect the environment of the human respiratory tract. Some synthetic models exist that use either synthetic sputum media or biofilms cultured with human bronchial epithelial cells. Current small animal models fail to accurately replicate many of the conditions seen in the human respiratory tract during chronic bacterial infection. With a growing need for new antimicrobials to counter the global health problem of antimicrobial resistance, this model could provide a useful and realistic research tool for scientists.
Applications
• Improved understanding of respiratory tract infections – particularly chronic infections
• Antimicrobial development
• Pharmaceutical agent screening
Advantages
Traditionally, small animal models have been used to study respiratory infections; however, these models are limited in their use and do not accurately reflect the environment of the human respiratory tract. Some synthetic models exist that use either synthetic sputum media or biofilms cultured with human bronchial epithelial cells.
The new model combines both existing approaches yielding a first of its kind, combined synthetic sputum and epithelial co-culture bacterial biofilm model. This approach better reflects the mucosal environment of the human respiratory tract and captures the bacterial biofilms growing in the respiratory tract during chronic infection. The new bacterial biofilm model will closely mimic the respiratory environment in humans with chronic infections, affording researchers a huge step forward in the study of future antimicrobials.
Invention Readiness
A key method of measuring the efficacy of any respiratory tract model is to study Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) expression in the sputum of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. A reproducible model has shown both synthetic CF media and an existing epithelial coculture can successfully culture P. aeruginosa (both lab strain MPA01 and those collected from clinical samples) comparable to sputum collected from patients. The synthetic CF media was found to be more accurate than the existing coculture used and combining both approaches further improved accuracy.
Further development is required to assess accuracy in modelling other epithelial cells, and to examine the use of this model to study new antimicrobials.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240141285A1
