Molecular signature of asthma-enhanced sensitivity to aerosols of pristine and carboxylated CuO nanoparticles, identified in 3D cell models.. Molecular signature of asthma-enhanced sensitivity to aerosols of pristine and carboxylated CuO nanoparticles, identified in 3D cell models.

Via extensive comparative analysis of 3D human bronchial epithelial model (MucilAirTM) exposed to air or CuO-based aerosols, we show that existence of asthma enhances sensitivity of the airways to nanoparticles, possibly as a combined result of a hyperactive airway and inefficient mucociliary clearance mechanisms in asthmatics. Overall design: The experimental assessment involved exposures to clean, humidified air, low, middle and high concentrations of CuO and CuOCOOH. Cell material for the exposures originated from five asthmatic and three healthy donors. The exposures were split up as one-hour sessions, each consisting of a test block containing three inserts. Parallel exposure sessions were carried out to assess, cytotoxicity, cytokine release and RNA isolation for microarray-based transcriptomics. Each Vitrocell consists of three slots (inserts), thus every time a test block is exposed, the cell material within its three inserts originates from a single donor only. There were in total three healthy and five asthmatic donors, and the cell material of each donor was tested once in each session, once in each test block and once at each CuO/CuOCOOH concentration.