The effects of cigarette smoke exposure on airway ciliary structure in COPD rats were evaluated by the comprehensive evaluation of airway cilia ultrastructure.

Wister rats were randomly divided into two experimental groups (CON: control group, n=5; CS: cigarette smoke group, n=5). Rats in CS group were exposed to passive smoking for 45 days.The abnormalities of ciliary ultra-structures and the fluorescence intensity of ciliated microtubules were measured by electron microscopy (EM) and confocal microscopy.

The ciliary ultrastructure abnormalities were found in CS group with typical cilia membrane vesiculation and dynein arm deficiency under EM.The vesiculation in CS group significantly increased (7.36±2.38) compared with CON group (0.66±1.21). Meanwhile, the microtubule of cilia in CS group decreased, with immune fluorescence intensity was (53.46±13.28), compared to CON group (120.00±26.86)(P<0.05).

Cigarette smoking could affect the ciliated epithelium in smoking induced airway rats model, with ciliary ultrastructural abnormalities and absence of cilia microtubules.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cilia; Microtubule; Ciliary ultrastructure; Cigarette smoke