Effects of diesel exhaust particles on human lung epithelial cells: An in vitro study

• Published in: Respiratory medicine Vol. 101; no. 6; pp. 1155 - 1162
• Main Authors: Mazzarella, G, Ferraraccio, F, Prati, M.V, Annunziata, S, Bianco, A, Mezzogiorno, A, Liguori, G, Angelillo, I.F, Cazzola, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2007; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - pharmacology; Asthma; Atmosphere; Atmospheric particulate matter; Atoms & subatomic particles; Biological and medical sciences; Cell culture; Cell Size - drug effects; Cytokines; Cytoplasm - immunology; Cytotoxicity; Diesel exhaust particulate; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - immunology; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Human lung epithelial cells; Humans; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Interleukin-8 - metabolism; Medical sciences; Outdoor air quality; Particle Size; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - pharmacology; Pneumology; Proinflammatory cytokines; Proteins; Pulmonary/Respiratory; Respiratory Mucosa - drug effects; Respiratory Mucosa - immunology; Respiratory Mucosa - pathology; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Vehicle Emissions - toxicity; Human lung epithelial cells; Atmospheric particulate matter; Proinflammatory cytokines; Diesel exhaust particulate; Human; Climate; Lung; Cytokine; Air quality; In vitro; Exhaust; Meteorological variable; Fine particle; Epithelial cell; Pneumology
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2006.11.011

Summary Atmospheric particulate matter (PM), an ingredient of urban pollution matter, is a mixture of solid and liquid particles differing in origin, dimension and composition. There is big concern about inhaled PM in urban areas, especially due to its adverse effects on the respiratory system. Diesel exhaust particulate (DEP), which constitutes the major part of PM, is characterized by a carbonic mixture composed of approximately 18,000 different high-molecular-weight organic compounds. Diesel engines release 10 times the amount of NO2 aldehydes and breathable PM compared to unleaded gasoline engines and more than 100 times that produced by catalysed gasoline engines; these data gain great significance when taken into account the fact that diesel-powered vehicles are becoming more and more popular. DEP polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), once deposited on airways mucous surfaces easily pass through epithelial cells (ECs) membranes, bind themselves to cytosolic receptors and then affect cell growth and differentiation. Human lung epithelial cells and macrophages engulf DEP, this resulting in increased proinflammatory cytokines release (IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF). We investigated the biological effects of DEP-PM on the human lung EC line A549. Light microscopy analysis suggested the presence of cell wall alterations, and provided evidence of PM internalization and cytoplasmic vacuolization. Following PM stimulation, nuclei also were seen undergo clear gross morphological modifications. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect intracytoplasmic IL-6 and IL-8 expression.