Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae infection differently modulates E-cadherin expression under changing environmental oxygen concentrations

Einleitung: Ongoing airway remodeling is characteristic for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) progression. The adherens junctions protein E-cadherin was shown to be reduced in COPD patients, which is implicated with decreased barrier tightness in lung epithelial cells. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection has been frequently detected during exacerbation of COPD but the contribution to E-cadherin reduction in alveolar epithelial cells is still largely unknown. In later stages of the disease, chronic bronchitis and emphysema cause airflow limitations that result in reduced oxygen availabi…