Alpha-tocopherol exerts protective function against the mucotoxicity of particulate matter in amphibian and human goblet cells

• Published in: Scientific reports 2020-04, Vol.10 (1), p.6224, Article 6224
• Main Authors: Yang, Hee-Sun, Sim, Hyo Jung, Cho, Hanna, Bang, Woo Young, Kim, Ha Eun, Kwon, Taeg Kyu, Kwon, Taejoon, Park, Tae Joo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14/19; 38/91; 631/1647/767; 631/80/304; 64/114; 704/4111; Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Air Pollution - adverse effects; alpha-Tocopherol - pharmacology; Animals; Anura; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - chemically induced; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cell Line, Tumor; Cytoplasm; Cytotoxicity; Diesel; Diesel engines; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Embryos; Epithelium; Exposure; Gene expression; Goblet cells; Goblet Cells - drug effects; Goblet Cells - metabolism; Health risks; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Internal combustion engines; Mortality; Mucus; Mucus - metabolism; multidisciplinary; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - adverse effects; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vehicle Emissions; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63085-6

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) in ambient air is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders and mortality. The cytotoxicity of PM is mainly due to the abnormal increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage cellular components such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. The correlation between PM exposure and human disorders, including mortality, is based on long-term exposure. In this study we have investigated acute responses of mucus-secreting goblet cells upon exposure to PM derived from a heavy diesel engine. To this end, we employed the mucociliary epithelium of amphibian embryos and human Calu-3 cells to examine PM mucotoxicity. Our data suggest that acute exposure to PM significantly impairs mucus secretion and results in the accumulation of mucus vesicles in the cytoplasm of goblet cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed that acute responses to PM exposure significantly altered gene expression patterns; however, known regulators of mucus production and the secretory pathway were not significantly altered. Interestingly, pretreatment with α-tocopherol nearly recovered the hyposecretion of mucus from both amphibian and human goblet cells. We believe this study demonstrates the mucotoxicity of PM and the protective function of α-tocopherol on mucotoxicity caused by acute PM exposure from heavy diesel engines.