Synergistic induction of IL-6 production in human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro by nickel nanoparticles and lipopolysaccharide is mediated by STAT3 and C/EBPβ

We previously reported that delivery of nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the lungs of mice synergistically increased IL-6 production and inflammation, and male mice were more susceptible than female mice. The primary goal of this study was to utilize an in vitro human lung epithelial cell model (BEAS-2B) to investigate the intracellular signaling mechanisms that mediate IL-6 production by LPS and NiNPs. We also investigated the effect of sex hormones on NiNP and LPS-induced IL-6 production in vitro. LPS and NiNPs synergistically induced IL-6 mRNA and protein in BEAS-2B cells. TPCA-1, a dual inhibitor of IKK-2 and STAT3, blocked the synergistic increase in IL-6 caused by LPS and NiNPs, abolished STAT3 activation, and reduced C/EBPβ. Conversely, SC144, an inhibitor of the gp130 component of the IL-6 receptor, enhanced IL-6 production induced by LPS and NiNPs. Treatment of BEAS-2B cells with sex hormones (17β-estradiol, progesterone, or testosterone) or the anti-oxidant NAC, had no effect on IL-6 induction by LPS and NiNPs. These data suggest that LPS and NiNPs induce IL-6 via STAT3 and C/EBPβ in BEAS-2B cells. While BEAS-2B cells are a suitable model to study mechanisms of IL-6 production, they do not appear to be suitable for studying the effect of sex hormones.

Sex Differences in Pulmonary Eicosanoids and Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators in Response to Ozone Exposure

Ozone (O3) is a criteria air pollutant known to increase the morbidity and mortality of cardiopulmonary diseases. This occurs through a pulmonary inflammatory response characterized by increased recruitment of immune cells into the airspace, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and pro-inflammatory lipid mediators. Recent evidence has demonstrated sex-dependent differences in the O3-induced pulmonary inflammatory response. However, it is unknown if this dimorphic response is evident in pulmonary lipid mediator metabolism. We hypothesized that there are sex-dependent differences in lipid mediator production following acute O3 exposure. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 1 part per million O3 for 3 hours and were necropsied at 6 or 24 hours following exposure. Lung lavage was collected for cell differential and total protein analysis, and lung tissue was collected for mRNA analysis, metabololipidomics, and immunohistochemistry. Compared to males, O3-exposed female mice had increases in airspace neutrophilia, neutrophil chemokine mRNA, pro-inflammatory eicosanoids such as prostaglandin E2, and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) such as resolvin D5 in lung tissue. Likewise, precursor fatty acids (arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid; DHA) were increased in female lung tissue following O3 exposure compared to males. Experiments with ovariectomized females revealed that loss of ovarian hormones exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and injury. However, eicosanoid and SPM production were not altered by ovariectomy despite depleted pulmonary DHA concentrations. Taken together, these data indicate that O3 drives an increased pulmonary inflammatory and bioactive lipid mediator response in females. Furthermore, ovariectomy increases susceptibility to O3-induced pulmonary inflammation and injury, as well as decreases pulmonary DHA concentrations.

Association of Long-term Use of Low-Dose Aspirin as Chemoprevention With Risk of Lung Cancer

IMPORTANCE

Low-dose aspirin use for chemoprevention of lung cancer risk remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between low-dose aspirin use and lung cancer risk, and to identify specific subgroups that may derive the most benefit from low-dose aspirin use.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide, retrospective, cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Information Database from 2002 to 2015. Data analyses were performed from October 2016 to December 2018. Eligible participants (n = 12 969 400) were people aged 40 to 84 years who had undergone national health screening between 2009 and 2010 and had no history of lung cancer between 2006 and 2010 and no standard-dose aspirin use for 6 months between 2002 and 2010.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The duration of low-dose aspirin use between January 2002 and December 2010 was calculated for each participant. Lung cancer was defined as the first recorded diagnosis of lung cancer-using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes and expanding benefit coverage-between January 2011 and December 2015.

RESULTS

A total of 63 040 participants with a mean (SD) age of 66.4 (9.3) years received a diagnosis of lung cancer. Of these, 45 156 (71.6%) were men. The incidence rate of lung cancer was 98.8 per 100 000 person-years. The duration of low-dose aspirin use was none for 10 987 417 participants (84.7%), 1 to 2 years for 750 992 participants (5.8%), 3 to 4 years for 506 945 participants (3.9%), 5 to 6 years for 371 062 participants (2.9%), 7 to 8 years for 240 528 participants (1.9%), and 9 years for 112 456 participants (0.9%). Compared with no aspirin use, 5 to 6 years (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.92-0.99]), 7 to 8 years (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.90-0.99]), and 9 years (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.84-0.94]) of aspirin use were significantly associated with reduced lung cancer risk. After stratified analysis, a significant reduction of lung cancer risk was observed among people aged 65 years or older and among people without diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Although the use of low-dose aspirin for more than 5 years was associated with decreased risk of lung cancer, particularly among elderly participants and among people without diabetes, the observed effect size was quite modest. Future prospective studies are needed to determine whether there is a causal association.

Molecular imprinted opal closest-packing photonic crystals for the detection of trace 17β-estradiol in aqueous solution

A novel opal closest-packing (OCP) photonic crystal (PC) was prepared by the introduction of molecular imprinting technique into the OCP PC. This molecular imprinted (MI)-OCP PC was fabricated via a vertical convective self-assembly method using 17β-estradiol (E2) as template molecules for monitoring E2 in aqueous solution. Morphology characterization showed that the MI-OCP PC possessed a highly ordered three-dimensional (3D) periodically-ordered structure, showing the desired structural color. The proposed PC material displayed a reduced reflection intensity when detecting E2 in water environment, because the molecular imprinting recognition events make the optical characteristics of PC change. The Bragg diffraction intensity decreased by 19.864 a.u. with the increase of E2 concentration from 1.5 ng mL(-1) to 364.5 ng mL(-1) within 6 min, whereas there were no obvious peak intensity changes for estriol, estrone, cholesterol, testosterone and diethylstilbestrol, indicating that the MI-OCP PC had selective and rapid response for E2 molecules. The adsorption results showed that the OCP structure and homogeneous layers were created in the MI-OCP PC with higher adsorption capacity. Thus, it was learned the MI-OCP PC is a simple prepared, sensitive, selective, and easy operative material, which shows promising use in routine supervision for residue detection in food and environment.

17β-Estradiol alters rat type-II alveolar cell recovery from high levels of ozone

Respiratory health is negatively impacted by exposure to ozone or to estrogens. Increasingly, individuals have simultaneous environmental exposure to both compounds. Characterizing the cellular responses stimulated by the combination of ozone and estrogens, therefore, is crucial to our complete understanding of the compounds' environmental health impacts. Our work introduces an alveolar cell culture model with defined media that provides evidence of ozone damage and determines sex hormones alter the cells' susceptibility to oxidative damage. Specifically, we investigated the individual and combined effects of environmentally relevant levels of ozone and 17β-estradiol on non-cancerous rat, type-II alveolar cells by examining biomarkers of cellular health and redox balance. The data reveal a complex role for 17β-estradiol in cellular recovery from 1 hr exposure to high ozone levels. At 0.5 hr post-ozone necrosis and inflammation markers show 17β-estradiol augments the detrimental effects of 350 ppb ozone, but after 24 hr of recovery, steroid treatment alters glutathione redox ratio and allows cellular proliferation.

Prostaglandin E2 alteration in contraceptive consumers: as a risk factor for inflammatory diseases

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral combined contraceptive pills on Prostaglandin E2 levels and lipid profiles.

METHODS

The enzyme-linked immune absorbent assay method and spectrophotometric assay were used for the evaluation of PGE2 levels and lipid profiles, respectively, in 50 healthy women with normal menstrual cycles who served as the control group and 50 women taking contraceptive pill.

RESULTS

The data obtained for serum Prostaglandin E2, LDL-C, and cholesterol concentrations in contraceptive pill consumers were significantly upper (P = 0.04, 0.002, and 0.05, respectively) than control group. The age of contraceptive pill consumption and the duration of pill intake beyond 36 months had no significant effect on the prostaglandin E2 concentration.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that the increase of Prostaglandin E2 and atherogenic lipid levels may be related to their probable effects in response to various pathological and physiological properties of COCs.

Association of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with lung cancer: results from a large cohort study

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality. Smoking cessation is crucial to decrease risk, but additional prevention modalities are needed. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) may be promising.

METHODS

The study was a prospective cohort of 77,125 men and women, ages 50 to 76 years, from Washington state recruited in 2000 to 2002 (the VITamin And Lifestyle study). Lung cancer cases were identified through the Seattle-Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry during 5 years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) associated with 10-year average use of total NSAIDs (excluding low-dose aspirin) and specific categories of NSAIDs were calculated for total incident lung cancer and specific morphologies.

RESULTS

A total of 665 lung cancer cases were identified. After adjusting for smoking, age, gender, and acetaminophen use, there was a borderline-significant inverse trend with total NSAID use [>4.2 d/wk for >10 years versus none: HR, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.64-1.04; P for trend = 0.05]. The association was strongest for adenocarcinoma (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.94; P for trend = 0.01) and seemed to be limited to men (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.92; P for trend = 0.01) and to long-term (> or =10 years) former smokers (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44-0.96; P for trend = 0.04). There were no appreciable differences by NSAID type.

CONCLUSIONS

Total NSAID use was associated with a small reduced risk of lung cancer, which was strongest for adenocarcinoma, men, and long-term former smokers. These findings are supported by known lung carcinogenesis mechanisms and suggest that NSAIDS may be useful for chemoprevention.