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Major: Biology

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Will Cariporide Alter Cell Migration Under Acidic pH? Cell migration is essential for airway epithelial repair following injury, yet acidic extracellular pH markedly impairs migration in normal bronchial epithelial cells while promoting invasive behavior in cancer cells. The sodium proton exchanger NHE1 is activated under acidic extracellular conditions and is known to regulate intracellular pH, cytoskeletal anchoring, and actin turnover. While NHE1 has been extensively studied in ischemic injury and cancer metastasis, its role in non-cancerous airway epithelial migration under acidic stress remains poorly defined. This project investigates whether NHE1 supports migration of 16HBE14o- human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to acidic extracellular pH. Cell migration will be assessed using scratch assays under control and acidic conditions, ranging from physiological pH to severe acidic stress near the viability limit. To evaluate NHE1 function, cells will be treated with Cariporide, a potent and reversible NHE1 inhibitor, and compared with untreated and vehicle control conditions. Time-lapse phase-contrast microscopy will be used to quantify migration rate and wound closure over time. We hypothesize that NHE1 activity facilitates epithelial migration under acidic stress and that inhibition of NHE1 will further impair migration in acidic environments. By directly testing this hypothesis, this study aims to clarify whether NHE1 serves a protective role in epithelial repair or whether alternative pathways dominate epithelial adaptation to acidic stress. These findings will advance understanding of how ion transporters regulate epithelial migration and will help distinguish mechanisms of cell motility in normal tissue repair from those exploited by cancer cells in acidic microenvironments. Poster Session 4 2:15 PM-3:15 PM CT Room C Poster #7: Earlene Sun Major: Psychology

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Texas A&M University / 2026

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Major: Biology