Data relating to the transcriptomes of human lung epithelial cells exposed to radon-emitting rock, tobacco smoke or cannabis smoke

Presented herein are RNA expression data linked to the exposure of human lung epithelial cells to either low dose radon-emitting rock, tobacco smoke or cannabis smoke. Two cell lines were used, one representing a ‘normal’ lung epithelial cell (BEAS-2B, derived from immortilized bronchial epithelial cells from a cadaver) and one representing a ‘cancerous’ lung epithelial cell (NCI-H1975, derived from a primary lung adenocarcinoma from a non-smoker). Control cells were cultured under standard conditions. Test cells were either (a) continuously cultured in the presence of pulverized uranium-containing rock emitting 38 Bq/m3 radon, or (b) exposed five days a week, to a 1:10,000 dilution of either tobacco or cannabis smoke from one cigarette. RNA was extracted from the cells at various time-points over a period of 1–17 weeks (7–140 days). cDNA libraries were prepared from the RNA, and the libraries were sequenced. Raw, aligned sequencing data, from 38 biosamples, are available through a public repository. Differential gene expression data, relating to control and test samples from various time-points, are linked to this article. Detailed analyses relating to these data can be found in the article “Human lung epithelial cells cultured in the presence of radon-emitting rock experience gene expression changes similar to those associated with tobacco smoke exposure” [1].


a b s t r a c t
Presented herein are RNA expression data linked to the exposure of human lung epithelial cells to either low dose radon-emitting rock, tobacco smoke or cannabis smoke. Two cell lines were used, one representing a 'normal' lung epithelial cell (BEAS-2B, derived from immortilized bronchial epithelial cells from a cadaver) and one representing a 'cancerous' lung epithelial cell (NCI-H1975, derived from a primary lung adenocarcinoma from a non-smoker). Control cells were cultured under standard conditions. Test cells were either (a) continuously cultured in the presence of pulverized uraniumcontaining rock emitting 38 Bq/m 3 radon, or (b) exposed five days a week, to a 1:10,000 dilution of either tobacco or cannabis smoke from one cigarette. RNA was extracted from the cells at various time-points over a period of 1-17 weeks (7-140 days). cDNA libraries were prepared from the RNA, and the libraries were sequenced. Raw, aligned sequencing data, from 38 biosamples, are available through a public repository. Differential gene expression data, relating to control and test samples from various time-points, are linked to this article. Detailed analyses relating to these data can be found in the article "Human lung epithelial cells cultured in the presence of radon-emitting rock experience gene expression changes similar to those associated with tobacco smoke exposure" [1].

Value of the data
Demonstrates that human epithelial cells can experience significant gene expression changes when cultured for as little as one week in the presence of 38 Bq/m 3 radon-emitting rock. These data could be used in an expanded analysis of a comparison of the transcriptome changes associated with both lower and higher doses of radiation in order to examine gene expression in relation to function, particularly in relation to carcinogenesis.
Reveals a significant reversal of gene expression directionality, occurring sometime between 7 and 14 weeks of exposure to radon-emitting rock. These data suggest that the experimental set-up would be useful to study carcinogenic versus adaptive responses to radiation exposure.
Reveals a dose-related upregulation of the aldo-keto reductase gene, AKR1C3, in the BEAS-2B and NCI-H1975 cells that were cultured in the presence of radon-emitting rock. These data suggest that a functional examination of AKR1C3 expression could provide valuable insight into its potential role as a regulator of carcinogenesis.
Reveals some of the earliest gene expression changes associated with exposure to cigarette smoke, which could be of use to researchers attempting to identify drivers of the transformation process.
Reveals some of the earliest gene expression changes associated with exposure to cannabis smoke, which could be of use for further gene-centric functional analyses to better understand how cells respond to cannabis smoke.

Data
RNA from the control and test samples for each condition (radon, tobacco smoke and cannabis smoke) was sequenced and aligned to the human genome, a process that generated a .bam file. In total, the sequences from 38 biosamples were uploaded into the Sequence Archive Repository (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP150582). Each sequence can be accessed using its own accession number (listed in Table 1), or all sequences can be accessed using the accession number SRP150582, with BioProject number PRJNA476229. Basic analysis of these data, in the form of a comparison between the control and test sample for each condition from each time-point taken, has been included with this article, as a link. A summary of all available data is contained in Table 1. To note, comparisons of gene expression between test samples from different time-points was not possible because there were significant gene expression changes over-time, within the cell populations. The excel files provide easily accessed, useful information showing how exposure to a specific condition affected gene expression, compared to the non-exposed control, at that point in time.

Experimental design, materials and methods
Control BEAS-2B and NCI-H1975 cells were cultured under standard conditions of 37°C, 5% CO 2 in an humidified incubator. Test BEAS-2B cells were additionally either continuously cultured in the presence of 38 Bq/m 3 radon-emitting rock, or exposed to one cigarette per day for five days per week to a 1:10,000 dilution of either tobacco or cannabis smoke. Test NCI-H1975 cells were likewise continuously cultured in the presence of 38 Bq/m 3 radon-emitting rock. Exposures ranged between one and seventeen weeks. Control and test cells originated from the same parental stock, and were cultured and passaged simultaneously, so that at each time-point examined, the control and test cell populations were from the same passage number. Following isolation of polyadenylated RNA from each sample collected, and sequencing of the final cDNA products, significant gene expression differences between each control and test cell population, at a particular time-point, were examined. Details relating to the experimental design, materials and methods can be found in [1].