Sulfur mustard vapor effects on differentiated human lung cells.
BACKGROUND
Sulfur mustard (SM) causes skin blistering and long-term pulmonary dysfunction. Its adverse effects have been studied in battlefield-exposed humans, but lack of knowledge regarding confounding factors makes interpretation challenging. Animal studies are critical to understanding mechanisms, but differences between animals and humans must be addressed. Studies of cultured human cells can bridge animal studies and humans.


OBJECTIVE
Evaluate effects of SM vapor on airway cells.


METHODS
We examined responses of differentiated human tracheal/bronchial epithelial cells, cultured at an air-liquid interface, to SM vapors. SM effects on metabolic activity (Water Soluble Tetrazolium (WST) assay), cytokine and metalloproteinase secretion, and cellular heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), an oxidative stress indicator, were measured after 24 h.


RESULTS
At noncytotoxic levels of exposure, interleukin 8 and matrix metalloproteinase-13 were significantly increased in these cultures, but HO-1 was not significantly affected.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure of differentiated airway epithelial cells to sub-cytotoxic levels of SM vapor induced inflammatory and degradative responses that could contribute to the adverse health effects of inhaled SM.
Seagrave
Jeanclare
J
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA. Jseagrav@LRRI.org
Weber
Waylon M
WM
Grotendorst
Gary R
GR
D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014835:Volatilization
D016207:Cytokines; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D009151:Mustard Gas