Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.

<h4>Background</h4>Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated important links between air pollution and asthma. Amongst these pollutants, environmental cigarette smoke is a risk factor both for asthma pathogenesis and exacerbation. As the barrier to the inhaled environment, the bronchial ep...

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Main Authors: Fabio Bucchieri, Antonella Marino Gammazza, Alessandro Pitruzzella, Alberto Fucarino, Felicia Farina, Peter Howarth, Stephen T Holgate, Giovanni Zummo, Donna E Davies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120510
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author Fabio Bucchieri
Antonella Marino Gammazza
Alessandro Pitruzzella
Alberto Fucarino
Felicia Farina
Peter Howarth
Stephen T Holgate
Giovanni Zummo
Donna E Davies
author_facet Fabio Bucchieri
Antonella Marino Gammazza
Alessandro Pitruzzella
Alberto Fucarino
Felicia Farina
Peter Howarth
Stephen T Holgate
Giovanni Zummo
Donna E Davies
author_sort Fabio Bucchieri
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated important links between air pollution and asthma. Amongst these pollutants, environmental cigarette smoke is a risk factor both for asthma pathogenesis and exacerbation. As the barrier to the inhaled environment, the bronchial epithelium is a key structure that is exposed to cigarette smoke.<h4>Objectives</h4>Since primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) from asthmatic donors are more susceptible to oxidant-induced apoptosis, we hypothesized that they would be susceptible to cigarette smoke-induced cell death.<h4>Methods</h4>PBECs from normal and asthmatic donors were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE); cell survival and apoptosis were assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and protective effects of antioxidants evaluated. The mechanism of cell death was evaluated using caspase inhibitors and immunofluorescent staining for apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF).<h4>Results</h4>Exposure of PBEC cultures to CSE resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cell death. At 20% CSE, PBECs from asthmatic donors exhibited significantly more apoptosis than cells from non-asthmatic controls. Reduced glutathione (GSH), but not ascorbic acid (AA), protected against CSE-induced apoptosis. To investigate mechanisms of CSE-induced apoptosis, caspase-3 or -9 inhibitors were tested, but these failed to prevent apoptosis; in contrast, CSE promoted nuclear translocation of AIF from the mitochondria. GSH reduced the number of nuclear-AIF positive cells whereas AA was ineffective.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Our results show that PBECs from asthmatic donors are more susceptible to CSE-induced apoptosis. This response involves AIF, which has been implicated in DNA damage and ROS-mediated cell-death. Epithelial susceptibility to CSE may contribute to the impact of environmental tobacco smoke in asthma.
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spelling doaj-art-378bc17dfd8547daaeb46cae1943c8ee2025-08-20T03:46:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01103e012051010.1371/journal.pone.0120510Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.Fabio BucchieriAntonella Marino GammazzaAlessandro PitruzzellaAlberto FucarinoFelicia FarinaPeter HowarthStephen T HolgateGiovanni ZummoDonna E Davies<h4>Background</h4>Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated important links between air pollution and asthma. Amongst these pollutants, environmental cigarette smoke is a risk factor both for asthma pathogenesis and exacerbation. As the barrier to the inhaled environment, the bronchial epithelium is a key structure that is exposed to cigarette smoke.<h4>Objectives</h4>Since primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) from asthmatic donors are more susceptible to oxidant-induced apoptosis, we hypothesized that they would be susceptible to cigarette smoke-induced cell death.<h4>Methods</h4>PBECs from normal and asthmatic donors were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE); cell survival and apoptosis were assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and protective effects of antioxidants evaluated. The mechanism of cell death was evaluated using caspase inhibitors and immunofluorescent staining for apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF).<h4>Results</h4>Exposure of PBEC cultures to CSE resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cell death. At 20% CSE, PBECs from asthmatic donors exhibited significantly more apoptosis than cells from non-asthmatic controls. Reduced glutathione (GSH), but not ascorbic acid (AA), protected against CSE-induced apoptosis. To investigate mechanisms of CSE-induced apoptosis, caspase-3 or -9 inhibitors were tested, but these failed to prevent apoptosis; in contrast, CSE promoted nuclear translocation of AIF from the mitochondria. GSH reduced the number of nuclear-AIF positive cells whereas AA was ineffective.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Our results show that PBECs from asthmatic donors are more susceptible to CSE-induced apoptosis. This response involves AIF, which has been implicated in DNA damage and ROS-mediated cell-death. Epithelial susceptibility to CSE may contribute to the impact of environmental tobacco smoke in asthma.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120510
spellingShingle Fabio Bucchieri
Antonella Marino Gammazza
Alessandro Pitruzzella
Alberto Fucarino
Felicia Farina
Peter Howarth
Stephen T Holgate
Giovanni Zummo
Donna E Davies
Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
PLoS ONE
title Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
title_full Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
title_fullStr Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
title_full_unstemmed Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
title_short Cigarette smoke causes caspase-independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors.
title_sort cigarette smoke causes caspase independent apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic donors
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120510
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