US EPA

1319889 

Journal Article 

In vitro repeated co-exposure to formaldehyde and Aspergillus fumigatus of human respiratory cells 

Persoz, C; Leleu, C; Achard, S; Fasseu, M; Menotti, J; Meneceur, P; Derouin, F; Seta, N 

2011 

Yes 

Toxicology Letters
ISSN: 0378-4274
EISSN: 1879-3169 

205 

S171-S171 

English 

10.1016/j.toxlet.2011.05.595 

WOS:000293814500545 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2011.05.595
Exit
 

Purpose: Indoor environment contains numerous pollutants of different types and leads to chronic exposure. The effects of those chemical and biological compounds on human respiratory health, and especially asthma, are still unclear. In order to clarify these effects, toxicological evidence is needed in addition to epidemiological observations. The aim of this study was to build a model of repeated exposures using various types of pollutants. The effects of co-exposure to a chemical pollutant (formaldehyde – FA) and a biological contaminant (Aspergillus fumigatus – Asp), both known to be found in domestic environment, were assessed on epithelial respiratory cells in vitro.
Methods: Human alveolar epithelial cells (A549) were air–liquid exposed in a Vitrocell exposure module, firstly to FA (50 μg/m3) (or air for control) during 30 min, and 14 h later to Asp (7.108 spores/m3) (or air) during 30 min. After 10 h post-incubation, cellular viability (XTT and LDH assays) was assessed. Biomarkers of local inflammation, IL-8 and MCP-1 were assayed by ELISA in cellular supernatant and the expression of these cytokines was evaluated by RT-PCR.
Results: Exposure to air, FA or Asp did not impact cellular viability. Repeated exposure, FA followed by air exposure, did not induce modification of production and expression of cytokines confirming our previously reported results with a unique FA exposure. Air followed by Asp exposure tended to induce IL-8 production and expression. When combined, FA followed by Asp exposure increased IL-8 production and MCP-1 expression.
These results show the feasibility of our model for repeated exposure and co-exposure to different types of environmental pollutants.