RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Co-cultures of multiple cell types mimic pulmonary cell communication in response to urban PM10 JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 1184 OP 1194 DO 10.1183/09031936.00044008 VO 32 IS 5 A1 E. Alfaro-Moreno A1 T. S. Nawrot A1 B. M. Vanaudenaerde A1 M. F. Hoylaerts A1 J. A. Vanoirbeek A1 B. Nemery A1 P. H. M. Hoet YR 2008 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/32/5/1184.abstract AB The current authors evaluated whether a system of co-cultures of relevant cells (pneumocytes (A549), macrophages (THP-1), mast cells (HMC-1) and endothelial cells (EAHY926)) would mimic the responses to particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm (PM10) previously reported in vivo. The role of mast cells was considered of special interest. Single cultures, bicultures (A549 + HMC-1 in a 10:1 ratio; THP-1 + HMC-1 in a 2:1 ratio) and tricultures (A549 + THP-1 + HMC-1 in a 10:2:1 ratio) were exposed to urban PM10 (24 h at 0, 10, 30 or 100 µg·cm−2). Additionally, EAHY926 cells were introduced in inserts above the tricultures. The released cytokines were evaluated with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter array system. THP-1 + HMC-1 bicultures and the tricultures released more granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1β, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-α and MIP-1α in response to PM10 than the sum of the single cultures. Tricultures with EAHY926 released more G-CSF, MIP-1α, IL-8 and MIP-1β than the EAHY926 single culture. The bicultures, tricultures and tricultures with EAHY926 provide results that are consistent with the local and systemic effects previously described for particulate matter effects, i.e. inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and bone marrow cell mobilisation. Mast cells seem to play a significant role in the co-culture responses.