Biomechanical effects of environmental and engineered particles on human airway smooth muscle cells

Berntsen, P; Park, C Y; Rothen-Rutishauser, B; Tsuda, A; Sager, T M; Molina, R M; Donaghey, T C; Alencar, A M; Kasahara, D I; Ericsson, T; Millet, E J; Swenson, J; Tschumperlin, D J; Butler, J P; Brain, J D; Fredberg, J J; Gehr, P; Zhou, E H (2010). Biomechanical effects of environmental and engineered particles on human airway smooth muscle cells. Interface - journal of the Royal Society, 7 Suppl 3(Suppl 3), S331-S340. London: The Royal Society 10.1098/rsif.2010.0068.focus

Full text not available from this repository.

The past decade has seen significant increases in combustion-generated ambient particles, which contain a nanosized fraction (less than 100 nm), and even greater increases have occurred in engineered nanoparticles (NPs) propelled by the booming nanotechnology industry. Although inhalation of these particulates has become a public health concern, human health effects and mechanisms of action for NPs are not well understood. Focusing on the human airway smooth muscle cell, here we show that the cellular mechanical function is altered by particulate exposure in a manner that is dependent upon particle material, size and dose. We used Alamar Blue assay to measure cell viability and optical magnetic twisting cytometry to measure cell stiffness and agonist-induced contractility. The eight particle species fell into four categories, based on their respective effect on cell viability and on mechanical function. Cell viability was impaired and cell contractility was decreased by (i) zinc oxide (40-100 nm and less than 44 microm) and copper(II) oxide (less than 50 nm); cell contractility was decreased by (ii) fluorescent polystyrene spheres (40 nm), increased by (iii) welding fumes and unchanged by (iv) diesel exhaust particles, titanium dioxide (25 nm) and copper(II) oxide (less than 5 microm), although in none of these cases was cell viability impaired. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide up to 500 microM did not alter viability or cell mechanics, suggesting that the particle effects are unlikely to be mediated by particle-generated reactive oxygen species. Our results highlight the susceptibility of cellular mechanical function to particulate exposures and suggest that direct exposure of the airway smooth muscle cells to particulates may initiate or aggravate respiratory diseases.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy > Topographical and Clinical Anatomy 04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy
UniBE Contributor:	Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara, Gehr, Peter
ISSN:	1742-5689
Publisher:	The Royal Society
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:09
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:00
Publisher DOI:	10.1098/rsif.2010.0068.focus
PubMed ID:	20356875
Web of Science ID:	000280131400005
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/1044 (FactScience: 201740)