In this study, the hypothesis that food-derived opioid peptides besides β-casomorphin 7 might modulate the production of mucin via a direct action on epithelial goblet cells was investigated in HT29-MTX cells used as a model of human colonic epithelium. Seven milk whey or casein peptides, a human milk peptide, and a wheat gluten-derived peptide with proved or probable ability to bind μ- or δ-op...

Airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion/overproduction/obstruction are pathophysiological characteristics of cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Up-regulation of airway mucin genes by inflammatory/immune response mediators is one of the major contributors to mucin overproduction. IL-8, a potent proinflammatory mediator and neutrophil chemoattractant, is pres...

Objective Disease-specific molecular signalling in peripheral blood has the potential to inform on pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases. Here, we aimed investigate blood-based gene expression profiles that reflect disease-specific pathogenic gallstones, such as antioxidant defence, heat-shock responses, DNA damage and repair, ABC pump mechanisms, mucin signals, mitochondrial dysfunction ap...

Objectives/Hypothesis. To determine if laryngopharyngeal reflux alters mucin gene expression in laryngeal mucosa. Methods. In situ hybridization was employed to study the expression of the 8 well-characterised mucin genes MUC1-4, 5AC, 5B, 6, and 7 in reflux laryngeal mucosa from laryngeal ventricles, posterior commissures, and vocal folds compared to control/normal laryngeal mucosa. Results. MU...

The ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized guinea pig is often used as an animal model of asthma and airway hyperreactivity. A characteristic lesion of asthma is excessive production of mucin in the airways. Mechanistic studies of this lesion in guinea pigs have been limited due to lack of mucin gene probes for this species. The aim of the present study was to clone the cDNAs encoding two major airway muci...

Excessive airway mucin production contributes to airway obstruction in lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respiratory infections, such as atypical bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp), have been proposed to worsen asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in part through increasing mucin. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in infection-induced...