Burns Ellie S, Olgun Nicole S, Friend Sherri A, McKinney Walter G, Sinsel Erik W, Reynolds Jeffrey S, Leonard Stephen S
Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
Gradient, Charlottesville, VA, West Virginia, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2025 May 5;20(5):e0322926. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322926. eCollection 2025.
Peracetic acid (PAA) is an organic peroxide commonly used as a disinfectant or sterilizing agent across many industries such as in agriculture, water treatment plants, and healthcare facilities. PAA is versatile, effective, and is considered environmentally friendly due to its decomposition products which include acetic acid, oxygen, and water. However, occupational researchers recognize that it is also highly corrosive as well as a strong oxidizer, and exposure to peracetic acid can severely irritate the respiratory system and this mixture can even act as an asthmagen. To determine the effect of PAA exposure to human airways, normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) were cultured at the air liquid interface and then exposed to PAA vapors generated across four separate concentrations: 0, 3, 12, and 24 ppm during four-hour exposure periods. Cells were allowed time to recover post-exposure for four and twenty-four hours prior to analysis. Cellular response and toxicity were assessed through metabolic assays for cell viability and cytotoxicity, cell layer integrity (using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measures), and ELISA assays for endothelin-1 (ET-1) (pro-inflammatory mediator and vasoconstrictor) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8). Histological changes were examined for presence of mucosubstances and overall tissue layer structure. PAA exposure had a significant effect on cytotoxicity wherein cytotoxic effect increased with dose concentration and recovery duration. Conversely, cell viability decreased significantly with dose and recovery period. Furthermore, exposure to PAA lowered transepithelial resistance significantly between controls and exposure conditions. ET-1, IL-6, and IL-8 were also assessed from culture fluid and were found to respond to dosage and recovery length. Histology suggested an injury response and cell layer disruptions at 12 ppm exposure and showed indicators of cell death at 24 ppm. Our findings suggest that PAA induces cell damage and a pro-inflammatory response in human bronchial cells with increasing dose and recovery time that reflects increased cell mortality at higher concentrations. Future work will extend this study to the human nasal epithelium to discern health effects across airway tissues.
过氧乙酸（PAA）是一种有机过氧化物，在农业、水处理厂和医疗保健设施等许多行业中常用作消毒剂或灭菌剂。PAA用途广泛、效果显著，由于其分解产物包括乙酸、氧气和水，因此被认为是环境友好型的。然而，职业研究人员认识到它也是一种高腐蚀性的强氧化剂，接触过氧乙酸会严重刺激呼吸系统，这种混合物甚至可能引发哮喘。为了确定接触PAA对人体气道的影响，将正常人支气管上皮细胞（NHBE）在气液界面培养，然后在四个不同浓度（0、3、12和24 ppm）下暴露于PAA蒸汽中，暴露时间为四小时。暴露后，细胞在分析前分别恢复四小时和二十四小时。通过代谢试验评估细胞活力和细胞毒性、细胞层完整性（使用跨上皮电阻（TEER）测量），以及通过ELISA试验评估内皮素-1（ET-1）（促炎介质和血管收缩剂）和促炎细胞因子（IL-6、IL-8）来评估细胞反应和毒性。检查组织学变化，观察是否存在黏液物质和整体组织层结构。PAA暴露对细胞毒性有显著影响，细胞毒性作用随剂量浓度和恢复持续时间的增加而增强。相反，细胞活力随剂量和恢复期显著降低。此外，与对照条件相比，暴露于PAA会显著降低跨上皮电阻。还从培养液中评估了ET-1、IL-6和IL-8，发现它们对剂量和恢复时间有反应。组织学显示，暴露于12 ppm时出现损伤反应和细胞层破坏，暴露于24 ppm时出现细胞死亡迹象。我们的研究结果表明，随着剂量和恢复时间的增加，PAA会在人支气管细胞中诱导细胞损伤和促炎反应，这反映了在较高浓度下细胞死亡率增加。未来的工作将把这项研究扩展到人类鼻上皮，以了解气道组织的健康影响。
