1
|
Valdez RM, Rivera BN, Chang Y, Pennington JM, Fischer KA, Löhr CV, Tilton SC. Assessing susceptibility for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon toxicity in an in vitro 3D respiratory model for asthma. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2024; 6:1287863. [PMID: 38706568 PMCID: PMC11066177 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1287863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
There is increased emphasis on understanding cumulative risk from the combined effects of chemical and non-chemical stressors as it relates to public health. Recent animal studies have identified pulmonary inflammation as a possible modifier and risk factor for chemical toxicity in the lung after exposure to inhaled pollutants; however, little is known about specific interactions and potential mechanisms of action. In this study, primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) cultured in 3D at the air-liquid interface (ALI) are utilized as a physiologically relevant model to evaluate the effects of inflammation on toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of contaminants generated from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Normal HBEC were differentiated in the presence of IL-13 for 14 days to induce a profibrotic phenotype similar to asthma. Fully differentiated normal and IL-13 phenotype HBEC were treated with benzo[a]pyrene (BAP; 1-40 μg/mL) or 1% DMSO/PBS vehicle at the ALI for 48 h. Cells were evaluated for cytotoxicity, barrier integrity, and transcriptional biomarkers of chemical metabolism and inflammation by quantitative PCR. Cells with the IL-13 phenotype treated with BAP result in significantly (p < 0.05) decreased barrier integrity, less than 50% compared to normal cells. The effect of BAP in the IL-13 phenotype was more apparent when evaluating transcriptional biomarkers of barrier integrity in addition to markers of mucus production, goblet cell hyperplasia, type 2 asthmatic inflammation and chemical metabolism, which all resulted in dose-dependent changes (p < 0.05) in the presence of BAP. Additionally, RNA sequencing data showed that the HBEC with the IL-13 phenotype may have increased potential for uncontrolled proliferation and decreased capacity for immune response after BAP exposure compared to normal phenotype HBEC. These data are the first to evaluate the role of combined environmental factors associated with inflammation from pre-existing disease and PAH exposure on pulmonary toxicity in a physiologically relevant human in vitro model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reese M. Valdez
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Superfund Research Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Brianna N. Rivera
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Superfund Research Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Yvonne Chang
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Superfund Research Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jamie M. Pennington
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Kay A. Fischer
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Christiane V. Löhr
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Susan C. Tilton
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Superfund Research Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang BH, Tang LL, Sun XH, Zhang Q, Liu CY, Zhang XN, Yu KY, Yang Y, Hu J, Shi XL, Wang Y, Liu L. Qufeng Xuanbi Formula inhibited benzo[a]pyrene-induced aggravated asthma airway mucus secretion by AhR/ROS/ERK pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117203. [PMID: 37734473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Excessive secretion of airway mucus may be an important pathological factor of air pollution-induced acute asthma attacks. Treatment of airway mucus hypersecretion improves asthma aggravated by air pollutants. Qufeng Xuanbi Formula (QFXBF) has been used to treat asthma for more than 30 years. However, whether QFXBF inhibits asthmatic mucus secretion exacerbated by air pollutants has not yet been established. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to evaluate the effect of QFXBF on airway mucus secretion and the mechanism of action in an air pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced mouse model of aggravated asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ovalbumin (OVA) and BaP co-exposure were used to establish the aggravated asthma model. The average enhanced pause (Penh), serum OVA-specific IgE, and changes in lung histopathology were determined. 16HBE cells exposed to BaP, treatment with QFXBF, arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signal antagonist SR1, reactive oxygen species (ROS) antagonist NAC, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signal antagonist U0126 were established to investigate the effect of QFXBF on BaP-induced mucus secretion and its target. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MUC5AC in the lung tissue and 16HBE cells were examined. We also studied the effect of QFXBF on ROS production. Finally, the protein expression of AhR, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases (p-ERK1/2), and ERK1/2 in 16HBE cells and lung tissues was determined by western blotting. RESULTS Administration of QFXBF significantly alleviated the pathological symptoms, including Penh, serum OVA-specific IgE, and changes in lung histopathology in a BaP-induced mouse model of aggravated asthma. QFXBF inhibited MUC5AC expression in asthmatic mice and 16HBE cells exposed to BaP. ROS production, AhR expression, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were significantly increased in BaP-induced asthmatic mice and 16HBE cells. Signaling pathway inhibitors StemRegenin 1 (SR1), NAC, and U0126 significantly inhibitedBaP-induced MUC5AC expression in 16HBE cells. SR1 reversed Bap-induced ROS production and ERK activation, and NAC inhibited Bap-induced ERK activation. In addition, QFXBF regulated AhR signaling, inhibited ROS production, reversed ERK activation, and downregulated mucus secretion to improve asthma aggravated by air pollutant BaP. CONCLUSIONS QFXBF can ameliorate mucus secretion in BaP-induced aggravated asthmatic mice and 16HBE cells, and the specific mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the AhR/ROS/ERK signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Han Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ling-Ling Tang
- School of Chinese Medicine & School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xian-Hong Sun
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chun-Yang Liu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiao-Na Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ke-Yao Yu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jun Hu
- College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina & College of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiao-Lu Shi
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Yue Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/ Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Li Liu
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nagar N, Saxena H, Pathak A, Mishra A, Poluri KM. A review on structural mechanisms of protein-persistent organic pollutant (POP) interactions. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 332:138877. [PMID: 37164191 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
With the advent of the industrial revolution, the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment has become ubiquitous. POPs are halogen-containing organic molecules that accumulate, and remain in the environment for a long time, thus causing toxic effects in living organisms. POPs exhibit a high affinity towards biological macromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, causing genotoxicity and impairment of homeostasis in living organisms. Proteins are essential members of the biological assembly, as they stipulate all necessary processes for the survival of an organism. Owing to their stereochemical features, POPs and their metabolites form energetically favourable complexes with proteins, as supported by biological and dose-dependent toxicological studies. Although individual studies have reported the biological aspects of protein-POP interactions, no comprehensive study summarizing the structural mechanisms, thermodynamics and kinetics of protein-POP complexes is available. The current review identifies and classifies protein-POP interaction according to the structural and functional basis of proteins into five major protein targets, including digestive and other enzymes, serum proteins, transcription factors, transporters, and G-protein coupled receptors. Further, analysis detailing the molecular interactions and structural mechanism evidenced that H-bonds, van der Waals, and hydrophobic interactions essentially mediate the formation of protein-POP complexes. Moreover, interaction of POPs alters the protein conformation through kinetic and thermodynamic processes like competitive inhibition and allostery to modulate the cellular signalling processes, resulting in various pathological conditions such as cancers and inflammations. In summary, the review provides a comprehensive insight into the critical structural/molecular aspects of protein-POP interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nupur Nagar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Harshi Saxena
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Aakanksha Pathak
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, 342011, Rajasthan, India
| | - Krishna Mohan Poluri
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India; Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sondermann NC, Faßbender S, Hartung F, Hätälä AM, Rolfes KM, Vogel CFA, Haarmann-Stemmann T. Functions of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) beyond the canonical AHR/ARNT signaling pathway. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 208:115371. [PMID: 36528068 PMCID: PMC9884176 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor regulating adaptive and maladaptive responses toward exogenous and endogenous signals. Research from various biomedical disciplines has provided compelling evidence that the AHR is critically involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases and disorders, including autoimmunity, inflammatory diseases, endocrine disruption, premature aging and cancer. Accordingly, AHR is considered an attractive target for the development of novel preventive and therapeutic measures. However, the ligand-based targeting of AHR is considerably complicated by the fact that the receptor does not always follow the beaten track, i.e. the canonical AHR/ARNT signaling pathway. Instead, AHR might team up with other transcription factors and signaling molecules to shape gene expression patterns and associated physiological or pathophysiological functions in a ligand-, cell- and micromilieu-dependent manner. Herein, we provide an overview about some of the most important non-canonical functions of AHR, including crosstalk with major signaling pathways involved in controlling cell fate and function, immune responses, adaptation to low oxygen levels and oxidative stress, ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Further research on these diverse and exciting yet often ambivalent facets of AHR biology is urgently needed in order to exploit the full potential of AHR modulation for disease prevention and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C Sondermann
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sonja Faßbender
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Frederick Hartung
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anna M Hätälä
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katharina M Rolfes
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christoph F A Vogel
- Department of Environmental Toxicology and Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li Y, Liu Y, Duo M, Wu R, Jiang T, Li P, Wang Y, Cheng Z. Bioinformatic analysis and preliminary validation of potential therapeutic targets for COVID-19 infection in asthma patients. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:201. [PMID: 36575422 PMCID: PMC9793391 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-01010-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is also rapidly increasing worldwide, posing a significant challenge to human safety. Asthma is a risk factor for COVID-19, but the underlying molecular mechanisms of the asthma-COVID-19 interaction remain unclear. METHODS We used transcriptome analysis to discover molecular biomarkers common to asthma and COVID-19. Gene Expression Omnibus database RNA-seq datasets (GSE195599 and GSE196822) were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in asthma and COVID-19 patients. After intersecting the differentially expressed mRNAs, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to identify the common pathogenic molecular mechanism. Bioinformatic methods were used to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and identify key genes from the networks. An online database was used to predict interactions between transcription factors and key genes. The differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the GSE195599 and GSE196822 datasets were intersected to construct a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network. Interaction networks were constructed for key genes with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and oxidative stress-related proteins. The diagnostic efficacy of key genes in COVID-19 was verified with the GSE171110 dataset. The differential expression of key genes in asthma was verified with the GSE69683 dataset. An asthma cell model was established with interleukins (IL-4, IL-13 and IL-17A) and transfected with siRNA-CXCR1. The role of CXCR1 in asthma development was preliminarily confirmed. RESULTS By intersecting the differentially expressed genes for COVID-19 and asthma, 393 common DEGs were obtained. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the DEGs showed that they mainly affected inflammation-, cytokine- and immune-related functions and inflammation-related signaling pathways. By analyzing the PPI network, we obtained 10 key genes: TLR4, TLR2, MMP9, EGF, HCK, FCGR2A, SELP, NFKBIA, CXCR1, and SELL. By intersecting the differentially expressed lncRNAs for COVID-19 and asthma, 13 common differentially expressed lncRNAs were obtained. LncRNAs that regulated microRNAs (miRNAs) were mainly concentrated in intercellular signal transduction, apoptosis, immunity and other related functional pathways. The ceRNA network suggested that there were a variety of regulatory miRNAs and lncRNAs upstream of the key genes. The key genes could also bind a variety of RBPs and oxidative stress-related genes. The key genes also had good diagnostic value in the verification set. In the validation set, the expression of key genes was statistically significant in both the COVID-19 group and the asthma group compared with the healthy control group. CXCR1 expression was upregulated in asthma cell models, and interference with CXCR1 expression significantly reduced cell viability. CONCLUSIONS Key genes may become diagnostic and predictive biomarkers of outcomes in COVID-19 and asthma. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Ye Liu
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Mengjie Duo
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Ruhao Wu
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Tianci Jiang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Pengfei Li
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Yu Wang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Zhe Cheng
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| |
Collapse
|