THP-1 cells, which are human myeloid leukemia mononuclear cells, were obtained from the National Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures. THP-1 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 (Gibco Life Technologies, USA) with 10% FBS. Both cell lines were cultured in a humidified incubator containing 95% air and 5% CO2 at 37°C.
In the coculture system, THP-1 cells were seeded on six-well plates at a density of 1×106 cells per well and treated with 10 µM PMA for 48 h to form THP-1 macrophages (THP-M cells). Then, THP-M cells were cocultured with normal, CSE-treated or let-7 mimic-transfected HBE cells seeded on 24 mm diameter inserts with 0.4 μm pores (#3412, Corning, USA). HBE cells were transfected with mimics for 48 h and treated with 5% CSE, while THP-M cells were treated with tocilizumab24 (link),25 (link) (HY-P9917, MedChemExpress, China), an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody before they were cocultured.