Effect of PM_2.5 on IL-1β Expression in A549 Cells

Objectives  To investigate the effects of PM_2.5 on the expression of inflammatory factor IL-1β in lung cancer cell line (A549 cells) and the associations between PM_2.5 composition and the expression of IL-1β.

Methods  The concentration of metals and PHAs in PM_2.5 collected from six cities, Zhanjiang, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu were analyzed.A549 cells were exposed to PM_2.5 at a dose of 100 μg/mL for 24 h; and the expression of IL-1β in A549 cells was tested by Q-PCR.The association between the composition of PM_2.5 and the expression of IL-1β was assessed by using linear regression and correlation analysis.

Results  The content of PAHs in PM_2.5 from Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai was about 900 pg/μg, which was higher than that in other three cities.The concentration of Fe, Cu, and Ni was very high in all PM_2.5 samples, and these transition metals could induce the expression of IL-1β in A549 cells.High expression of IL-1β was strongly associated with high concentrations of PAHs and Ni in PM_2.5.

Conclusions  PM_2.5 collected from 6 cities could induce the expression of IL-1β in A549 cells.The upregulation of IL-1β in A549 cells induced by PM_2.5 was associated with the high PAHs and Ni content in PM_2.5.