Can PBDEs affect pathophysiology complex in airway epithelium?

Background Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can promote multiple adverse health outcomes such as cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in inflammation, mucus secretion, pH variations, and damaging the lung tissues. Aims We investigated the effects of PBDEs (47, 99 and 209) on inflammatory and oxidative response (IL-8 and NOX-4), mucus production (MUC5AC and MUC5B), Trans-Epithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER), and pH variations, using an air-liquid-interface (ALI) airway tissue model derived from A549 cell line and from primary human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBEC). The effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was tested. Methods ALI cultures were exposed to PBDEs (47, 99 and 209) (0,01 to 1 µg/ml) for 24 hours with and without NAC (10mM) (30 minutes before the stimulation). We tested production of IL-8, Muc5AC and Muc5B (mRNAs and proteins) as well as NOX-4 expression (mRNA). TJ integrity was measured by TEER and pH measurements and rheological properties (elastic, G', and viscous, G'', moduli) in apical washes. Results Exposure of A549 cell line and pHBEC to PBDEs (47, 99 and 209) decreased TEER measurements, increased IL-8, Muc5AC, Muc5B (mRNAs and proteins), NOX-4 mRNA, and the measurements of pH and rheological parameters (G', G'') in comparison to untreated cells. The treatment with NAC inhibited the effects PBDEs-induced in epithelial cells.