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Sensing Biophysical Alterations of Human Lung Epithelial Cells (A549) in the Context of Toxicity Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particles

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Abstract

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in urban air are associated with numerous respiratory diseases. The role of underlying biomechanics in cytotoxicity of individual lung cells relating to DEP exposure is unclear. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal Raman microspectroscopy (RM), and fluorescence (FL) microscopy were used to monitor alterations of single A549 cells exposed to DEP. Results revealed a significant decrease in membrane surface adhesion force and a significant change in cell elasticity as a function of DEP–cell interaction time, and the dynamic changes in cellular biocomponents which were reflected by changes of characteristic Raman bands: 726 cm−1 (adenine), 782 cm−1 (uracil, cytosine, thymine), 788 cm−1 (O–P–O), 1006 cm−1 (phenylalanine), and 1320 cm−1 (guanine) after DEP exposure. These findings suggest that the combination of multi-instruments (e.g., AFM/FL) may offer an exciting platform for investigating the roles of biophysical and biochemical responses to particulate matter-induced cell toxicity.

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Acknowledgments

This work is partially supported by Huntsman Environmental Research Center, Logan, UT, USU VPR Seed Grant program, and Utah Water Research Laboratory. We also thank Mr. Joseph Shope from the Department of Biology to help confocal laser scanning microscope imaging.

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Author notes

  1. Yangzhe Wu

    Present address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Engineering, Utah State University, 4105 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322-4105, USA

    Yangzhe Wu, Gerald D. McEwen, Mingjie Tang, James T. Dimmick & Anhong Zhou

  2. Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322-4105, USA

    Tian Yu & Timothy A. Gilbertson

  3. Department of Veterinary Sciences, and Graduate Toxicology Program, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322-4105, USA

    Roger A. Coulombe Jr

  4. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322-4105, USA

    John R. Stevens

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  1. Yangzhe Wu
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Correspondence to Anhong Zhou.

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Wu, Y., McEwen, G.D., Tang, M. et al. Sensing Biophysical Alterations of Human Lung Epithelial Cells (A549) in the Context of Toxicity Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particles. Cell Biochem Biophys 67, 1147–1156 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-013-9618-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-013-9618-4

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