New exposure system to evaluate the toxicity of (scooter) exhaust emissions in lung cells in vitro

Environ Sci Technol. 2010 Apr 1;44(7):2632-8. doi: 10.1021/es903146g.

Abstract

A constantly growing number of scooters produce an increasing amount of potentially harmful emissions. Due to their engine technology, two-stroke scooters emit huge amounts of adverse substances, which can induce adverse pulmonary and cardiovascular health effects. The aim of this study was to develop a system to expose a characterized triple cell coculture model of the human epithelial airway barrier, to freshly produced and characterized total scooter exhaust emissions. In exposure chambers, cell cultures were exposed for 1 and 2 h to 1:100 diluted exhaust emissions and in the reference chamber to filtered ambient air, both controlled at 5% CO(2), 85% relative humidity, and 37 degrees C. The postexposure time was 0-24 h. Cytotoxicity, used to validate the exposure system, was significantly increased in exposed cell cultures after 8 h postexposure time. (Pro-) inflammatory chemo- and cytokine concentrations in the medium of exposed cells were significantly higher at the 12 h postexposure time point. It was shown that the described exposure system (with 2 h exposure duration, 8 and 24 h postexposure time, dilution of 1:100, flow of 2 L/min as optimal exposure conditions) can be used to evaluate the toxic potential of total exhaust emissions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / drug effects
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoskeleton / drug effects
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Inhalation Exposure / analysis*
  • Lung / cytology*
  • Motor Vehicles*
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Tight Junctions / drug effects
  • Tight Junctions / metabolism
  • Vehicle Emissions / toxicity*

Substances

  • Particulate Matter
  • Vehicle Emissions