Redox-activity and in vitro effects of regional atmospheric aerosol pollution: Seasonal differences and correlation between oxidative potential and in vitro toxicity of PM1

Gloria Melzi; Lorenzo Massimi; Maria Agostina Frezzini; Martina Iulini; Naima Tarallo; Matteo Rinaldi; Marco Paglione; Emma Nozza; Federica Crova; Sara Valentini; Gianluigi Valli; Francesca Costabile; Silvia Canepari; Stefano Decesari; Roberta Vecchi; Marina Marinovich; Emanuela Corsini

doi:10.1016/j.taap.2024.116913

Redox-activity and in vitro effects of regional atmospheric aerosol pollution: Seasonal differences and correlation between oxidative potential and in vitro toxicity of PM₁

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024 Apr:485:116913. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116913. Epub 2024 Mar 24.

Authors

Gloria Melzi¹, Lorenzo Massimi², Maria Agostina Frezzini³, Martina Iulini⁴, Naima Tarallo⁴, Matteo Rinaldi⁵, Marco Paglione⁵, Emma Nozza⁶, Federica Crova⁷, Sara Valentini⁷, Gianluigi Valli⁷, Francesca Costabile⁸, Silvia Canepari², Stefano Decesari⁵, Roberta Vecchi⁷, Marina Marinovich⁴, Emanuela Corsini⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Science (DiSFeB) "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: gloria.melzi@unimi.it.
² Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council, Via Salaria, Km 29,300, Monterotondo St., 00015 Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; ARPA Lazio, Regional Environmental Protection Agency, Via Boncompagni 101, 00187 Rome, Italy.
⁴ Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Science (DiSFeB) "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy.
⁵ Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, 40129 Bologna, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, NBFC, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
⁶ Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Science (DiSFeB) "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via della Commenda 19, 20122 Milan, Italy.
⁷ Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN-Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy.
⁸ National Biodiversity Future Center, NBFC, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 38522584
DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116913

Abstract

Particulate Matter (PM) is a complex and heterogeneous mixture of atmospheric particles recognized as a threat to human health. Oxidative Potential (OP) measurement is a promising and integrative method for estimating PM-induced health impacts since it is recognized as more closely associated with adverse health effects than ordinarily used PM mass concentrations. OP measurements could be introduced in the air quality monitoring, along with the parameters currently evaluated. PM deposition in the lungs induces oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. The study aimed to compare the OP measurements with toxicological effects on BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells of winter and summer PM₁ collected in the Po Valley (Italy) during 2021. PM₁ was extracted in deionized water by mechanical agitation and tested for OP and, in parallel, used to treat cells. Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses were assessed by MTT test, DCFH-DA assay, micronucleus, γ-H2AX, comet assay modified with endonucleases, ELISA, and Real-Time PCR. The evaluation of OP was performed by applying three different assays: dithiothreitol (OP^DTT), ascorbic acid (OP^AA), and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (OP^DCFH), in addition, the reducing potential was also analysed (RP^DPPH). Seasonal differences were detected in all the parameters investigated. The amount of DNA damage detected with the Comet assay and ROS formation highlights the presence of oxidative damage both in winter and in summer samples, while DNA damage (micronucleus) and genes regulation were mainly detected in winter samples. A positive correlation with OP^DCFH (Spearman's analysis, p < 0.05) was detected for IL-8 secretion and γ-H2AX. These results provide a biological support to the implementation in air quality monitoring of OP measurements as a useful proxy to estimate PM-induced cellular toxicological responses. In addition, these results provide new insights for the assessment of the ability of secondary aerosol in the background atmosphere to induce oxidative stress and health effects.

Keywords: In Vitro; Inflammation; Oxidative potential; Oxidative stress; Particulate matter; Toxicology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Aerosols*
Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Cell Survival / drug effects
DNA Damage* / drug effects
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Humans
Italy
Oxidation-Reduction*
Oxidative Stress* / drug effects
Particle Size
Particulate Matter* / toxicity
Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
Seasons*
THP-1 Cells

Substances

Particulate Matter
Air Pollutants
Aerosols
Reactive Oxygen Species