Cofilin-1 and profilin-1 expression in lung microvascular endothelial cells exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Background: Air pollutants exacerbate chronic airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the underlying mechanisms are yet to be determined. While a number of studies have reported adverse effects of nanoparticles on humans, little is known about their effects on the respiratory system.

Objectives: To examine the protein expression in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L) exposed to titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, a common air pollutant.

Material And Methods: A proteomics approach using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) was used to determine the differences in protein expression at 8 h and 24 h, following the treatment of HMVEC-L with 20-μM or 40-μM TiO2 nanoparticles.

Results: Human lung microvascular endothelial cells treated with 20-μM TiO2 nanoparticles showed alterations of 7 protein spots, including molecules related to calcium regulation, transport, cytoskeleton, and muscle contraction. The treatment of HMVEC-L with 40-μM TiO2 nanoparticles resulted in alterations of 4 protein spots, with molecular functions related to the cytoskeleton, myosin regulation, actin modulation, as well as guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP) regulation. To validate these results, immunohistochemical staining and western blotting analyses were performed on lung tissues collected from mice exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles. Cofilin-1 and profilin-1 were expressed in the endothelium, epithelium and inflammatory cells, and decreased in lung tissues of TiO2 nanoparticle-exposed mice compared to sham-treated controls.

Conclusions: These results suggest that some of the differentially expressed proteins may play important roles in airway diseases caused by TiO2 nanoparticle exposure.