Effect of ryegrass pollen and allergenic sub-pollen particles on human lung cells in culture and on a chip

Allergic asthma is a hypersensitive or allergic response that affects the lower airways, and there are over 350 million people who suffer from the disease (1). Allergic asthma is triggered by the exposure of proteins, known as allergens from substances such as animal dander, mould, dust mites and pollen (1, 2). My project aims to find a novel protein candidate and identify a biomolecular link between allergens and allergic asthma. To research this, I have developed an in vitro cell-based model, as well as a lung-on-a-chip device, using human lung Calu-3 cells and an aerosol exposure system to recreate breathing in of ryegrass pollen. My results showed that there was an effect of pollen exposure on lung cells, though the significance of this effect could not be investigated further due to an ill-timed cell culture contamination towards the end of the project. However, this project has given us an insight into further research investigating allergic asthma, effect of pollen on lung cells and the effect of pollution can have on pollen. This area of research is significant to the furthering of diagnostics and therapeutics for allergic asthma.