Co-cultures of multiple cell types mimic pulmonary cell communication in response to urban PM₁₀

¹ Laboratory of Pneumology, Lung Toxicology Unit, K.U. Leuven, Belgium; and Subdirección de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, México
² Laboratory of Pneumology, Lung Toxicology Unit, K.U. Leuven, Belgium
³ Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ealfaro{at}salud.gob.mx.

	Abstract

We evaluated if a system of co-cultures of relevant cells [pneumocytes (A549), macrophages (THP-1), mast cells (HMC-1) and endothelial cells (EAHY926)] mimics responses to PM₁₀ previously reported in vivo. The role of mast cells was considered of special interest.

Single cultures, BICULTURES (A549 + HMC-1 @ 10:1 ratio; THP-1 + HMC-1 @ 2:1 ratio) and TRICULTURES (A549 + THP-1 + HMC-1 @ 10:2:1 ratio) were exposed to urban PM₁₀ (24 h @ 0, 10, 30 or 100 µg·cm^-2). In further experiments, EAHY926 cells were introduced in inserts above the TRICULTURES. The released cytokines were evaluated with a FACS array system.

THP-1 + HMC-1 BICULTURES and the TRICULTURES released more G-CSF, MIP-1, IL-1, IL-8, IL-6, TNF, and MIP-1 in response to PM10 than the sum of the single cultures. TRICULTURES + EAHY926 released more G-CSF, MIP-1, IL-8 and MIP-1 than the EAHY926 single culture.

The BICULTURES, TRICULTURES and TRICULTURES + EAHY926, provide results that are consistent with the local and systemic effects previously described for PM effects, i.e. inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and bone marrow cell mobilization. Mast cells seem to play a significant role in the co-cultures responses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Muller, M. Riediker, P. Wick, M. Mohr, P. Gehr, and B. Rothen-Rutishauser Oxidative stress and inflammation response after nanoparticle exposure: differences between human lung cell monocultures and an advanced three-dimensional model of the human epithelial airways J R Soc Interface, July 8, 2009; (2009) rsif.2009.0161.focusv1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]