https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2024.153756
Artur Christian Garcia da Silva, Izadora Caroline Furtado de Mendonça, Marize Campos Valadares
Laboratory of Education and Research In Vitro Toxicology (Tox In), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
Chemical respiratory allergy (CRA) is caused by exposure to low molecular weight (LMW) sensitizers and can lead to asthma or rhinitis. Reliable methods to assess respiratory sensitization are lacking, as current in vivo models do not address allergenicity. To fill this gap, a 3D tetraculture airway model composed of bronchial epithelial, fibroblast, endothelial, and monocytic cells was developed. Upon exposure to maleic anhydride (MA) aerosols, the model showed typical bronchial features, and epithelial apoptosis. Monocytic cells also produced more IL-8, indicating dendritic cell activation. These results demonstrate that the model mimics key human airway functions and responses, providing a useful tool to study mechanisms of chemical respiratory sensitization.
