Evidence of Two Ciliated Epithelial Cell Subsets in Mouse Airways

Patients with asthma-associated airway epithelial damage exhale increased levels of nitric oxide (NO). However, the distribution of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in mouse airways remains to be controversial. In the present study, mouse lung sections were stained using antibodies against secretoglobin 1A member [1] (Scgb1a1), acetylated tubulin (ACT), and eNOS. We found that club cells in the mouse airways are immunoreactive toward eNOS. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time, two subsets of ciliated cells that differ in their expression of eNOS were observed to reside in the mouse airways. Both subsets of ciliated cells survived naphthalene-induced lung injury. These data will help clarify a controversial issue of whether ciliated cells contribute to epithelial maintenance in the airways.