H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal; NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Portugal.
H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal; Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, 649-003, Lisbon, Portugal.
Environ Res. 2020 Jun;185:109450. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109450. Epub 2020 Mar 29.
Workers in the waste sorting industry are exposed to diverse bioaerosols. Characterization of these bioaerosols is necessary to more accurately assess the health risks of exposure. The use of high-throughput DNA sequencing for improved analysis of microbial composition of bioaerosols, in combination with their in vitro study in relevant cell cultures, represents an important opportunity to find answers on the biological effects of bioaerosols. This study aimed to characterize by high-throughput sequencing the biodiversity present in complex aerosol mixtures retained in forklift air conditioning filters of a waste-sorting industry and its effects on cytotoxicity and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro using human macrophages derived from monocytic THP-1 cells. Seventeen filters from the filtration system from forklifts operating in one waste sorting facility and one control filter (similar filter without prior use) were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing and toxicological tests in vitro. A trend of positive correlation was seen between the number of bacterial and fungal OTUs (r = 0.47, p = 0.06). Seven filters (39%) exhibited low or moderate cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). The highest cytotoxic responses had a reduction in cell viability between 17 and 22%. Filter samples evoked proinflammatory responses, especially the production of TNFα. No significant correlation was found between fungal richness and inflammatory responses in vitro. The data obtained stress the need of thorough exposure assessment in waste-sorting industry and to take immunomodulatory properties into consideration for bioaerosols hazard characterization. The broad spectrum of microbial contamination detected in this study demonstrates that adequate monitoring of bioaerosol exposure is necessary to evaluate and minimize risks. The combined techniques can support the implementation of effective environmental monitoring programs of public and occupational health importance.
从事废物分类行业的工人会接触到各种生物气溶胶。为了更准确地评估暴露的健康风险，对这些生物气溶胶进行特征描述是必要的。高通量 DNA 测序在改进生物气溶胶微生物组成分析中的应用，结合其在相关细胞培养物中的体外研究，为寻找生物气溶胶的生物学效应提供了重要机会。本研究旨在通过高通量测序来描述保存在废物分类行业叉车空调过滤器中的复杂气溶胶混合物中存在的生物多样性，并使用源自单核细胞 THP-1 细胞的人巨噬细胞在体外研究其对细胞毒性和促炎细胞因子分泌的影响。对来自一个废物分类设施的过滤系统中的 17 个过滤器和一个对照过滤器（无先前使用的类似过滤器）进行了高通量测序和体外毒理学测试分析。在高通量测序和体外毒理学测试中，观察到细菌和真菌 OTU 的数量呈正相关趋势（r=0.47，p=0.06）。有 7 个过滤器（39%）表现出低或中度细胞毒性（p<0.05）。最高的细胞毒性反应使细胞活力降低了 17%至 22%。过滤器样本引起了炎症反应，特别是 TNFα 的产生。在体外，真菌丰富度与炎症反应之间未发现显著相关性。所获得的数据强调了在废物分类行业中进行彻底暴露评估的必要性，并需要考虑生物气溶胶危害特征描述中的免疫调节特性。本研究中检测到的微生物污染广谱表明，需要进行充分的生物气溶胶暴露监测，以评估和最小化风险。这些联合技术可以支持实施具有公共和职业健康重要性的有效环境监测计划。
