Particulate matter 10 exposure affects intestinal functionality in both inflamed 2D intestinal epithelial cell and 3D intestinal organoid models

Front Immunol. 2023 Jun 26:14:1168064. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1168064. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that particulate matter (PM10) enters the gastrointestinal (GI) tract directly, causing the GI epithelial cells to function less efficiently, leading to inflammation and an imbalance in the gut microbiome. PM10 may, however, act as an exacerbation factor in patients with inflamed intestinal epithelium, which is associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to dissect the pathology mechanism of PM10 exposure in inflamed intestines.

Methods: In this study, we established chronically inflamed intestinal epithelium models utilizing two-dimensional (2D) human intestinal epithelial cells (hIECs) and 3D human intestinal organoids (hIOs), which mimic in vivo cellular diversity and function, in order to examine the deleterious effects of PM10 in human intestine-like in vitro models.

Results: Inflamed 2D hIECs and 3D hIOs exhibited pathological features, such as inflammation, decreased intestinal markers, and defective epithelial barrier function. In addition, we found that PM10 exposure induced a more severe disturbance of peptide uptake in inflamed 2D hIECs and 3D hIOs than in control cells. This was due to the fact that it interferes with calcium signaling, protein digestion, and absorption pathways. The findings demonstrate that PM10-induced epithelial alterations contribute to the exacerbation of inflammatory disorders caused by the intestine.

Conclusions: According to our findings, 2D hIEC and 3D hIO models could be powerful in vitro platforms for the evaluation of the causal relationship between PM exposure and abnormal human intestinal functions.

Keywords: absorptive function; calcium signaling; human intestinal epithelium; human intestinal organoid; inflammation; particulate matter 10.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Signaling
  • Epithelial Cells*
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Intestines*
  • Organoids
  • Particulate Matter / adverse effects

Substances

  • Particulate Matter

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (NRF-2018M3A9H3023077, 2021M3A9H3016046), the Korean Fund for Regenerative Medicine (KFRM) grant funded by the Korean government (Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Health & Welfare, 21A0404L1), a grant (22213MFDS386) from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2023, the KIST Institutional Program (Atmospheric Environment Research Program, 2E31700-22-P005), and the KRIBB Research Initiative Program (KGM4722331, KGM5322321). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.