Adverse pulmonary impacts of environmental concentrations of oil mist particulate matter in normal human bronchial epithelial cell

Airborne oilmist particulate matter (OMPM) is generated during industrial processes such as metalworking and may be associatedwith pulmonary dysfunction. In this study, we employed the normal human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cell line to elucidate the association between pulmonary toxicity and OMPM of 2.5-10 mu m, 1.0-2.5 mu mand <1.0 mu m particle sizes (OMPM10-2.5, OMPM2.5-1.0 and OMPM1.0). We measuredOMPMconcentrations at a precision machinery factory to estimate lung deposition rates and select realistic environmental concentrations for testing. All OMPMs (1-50 mu g/cm(2)) significantly decreased BEAS-2B cell viability (>38% of control), except for low-dose OMPM1.0 (1 mu g/cm(2)). OMPM10-2.5 and OMPM2.5-1.0, but not OMPM1.0, induced oxidative stress (1.5-4-fold increase compared with the control) and increased the production of proinflammatory cytokines (1.5-3-fold). However, only OMPM1.0 induced pulmonary epithelial barrier dysfunction via depletion of zonula occludens (0.65-0.8-fold) and alpha 1-antitrypsin proteins (0.65-0.8-fold). In conclusion, a higher risk of lung disease was associated with smaller particle size OMPM. Exposure to OMPM1.0 may be a potential risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The evidence also demonstrates that occupational exposure to OMPM may cause pulmonary disease at very low concentrations. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The particle size of OMPM is associated with the risk of lung diseases, and exposure to OMPM1.0 may increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Occupational exposure to OMPM may cause pulmonary diseases at very low concentrations.