Effects of basiliximab with and without triple therapy on Muc5b gene expression of airway goblet cells of rats

• Grant number: 14/16707-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Rogerio Pazetti
• Grantee: Elizabete Silva dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

To complement the immunosuppression regimens, at the time the lung transplantation or early postoperative period many centers are using basiliximab as induction therapy which is an antibody antagonist of Interleukin-2 receptor. It is known that infection is the main cause of death in the first month after lung transplantation, coinciding with the same period of greater dysfunction of mucociliary epithelium. That acute dysfunction disables the mucociliary apparatus to protect and purify the air, increasing the possibility of infection. Because of the specificity of basiliximab and a mild adverse effect profile, we believe that this drug do not have any effect on mucociliary system. To test this hypothesis, we used 80 male rats. The animals were divided into four groups, each one with two subgroups, based upon the date of euthanasia (7 and 15 days): Group 1: saline; Group 2: basiliximab; Group 3: tacrolimus, mycophenolate sodium and prednisone; and Group 4: tacrolimus, mycophenolate sodium, prednisone and basiliximab. Ciliary beat frequency, mucociliary transport velocity, histology and morphometry of airways were evaluated. In addition, qualitative and quantitative analysis of mRNA expression for gene Muc5b goblet cells by PCR real time and quantification of the mucin from Muc5b gene by Western blotting will be performed.