Establishment of a new alveolar epithelial cell model by gene transfection and its application to the study on drug transport and toxicity in the lungs

为了开发新的肺泡II型上皮细胞模型，将Abca3基因导入RLE-6TN细胞中。与RLE-6TN细胞相比，RLE/Abca3细胞中Abca3 mRNA的表达和层状体（II型细胞中特征性细胞内细胞器）的形成增加。令人惊讶的是，其他II型标记mRNA的表达和白蛋白摄取活性也增加，表明Abca3基因的引入将引导RLE-6TN细胞向更多II型样细胞发展。此外，与 RLE-6TN 细胞相比，RLE/Abca3 细胞对 TGF-β1 和博来霉素（诱导肺泡上皮细胞上皮间质转化的化合物）反应良好。因此，RLE/Abca3 细胞可能是一种有前途的体外模型系统，用于分析和预测药物引起的肺毒性。

In order to develop a new alveolar type II epithelial cell model, Abca3 gene was introduced into RLE-6TN cells. Compared to RLE-6TN cells, the expression of Abca3 mRNA and the formation of lamellar bodies, characteristic intracellular organelle in type II cells, were increased in RLE/Abca3 cells. Surprisingly, the expression of other type II marker mRNAs and albumin uptake activity were also increased, indicating that introduction of Abca3 gene would direct RLE-6TN cells to more type II-like cells. In addition, RLE/Abca3 cells responded well to TGF-beta1 and bleomycin, compounds inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells, than RLE-6TN cells. Thus, RLE/Abca3 cells may be a promising in-vitro model system to analyze and predict drug-induced lung toxicity.