Efficient bioactive delivery of aerosolized drugs to human pulmonary epithelial cells cultured in air-liquid interface conditions.

In inhalation therapy, drugs are deposited as aerosols onto the air-facing lung epithelium. The currently used in vitro cell assays for drug testing, however, typically dissolve drugs in the medium, completely covering the cells, which represents an unphysiological drug application scenario. Although physiologically realistic in vitro cell culture models of the pulmonary air-blood barrier are available, reliable, easy-to-handle, and efficient technologies for direct aerosol-to-cell delivery are lacking.

A dose-controlled system for air-liquid interface cell exposure and application to zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Background: Engineered nanoparticles are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and their toxicological effects on human health, as well as on the ecosystem, have become a concern. Since initial contact with nanoparticles occurs at the epithelium in the lungs (or skin, or eyes), in vitro cell studies with nanoparticles require dose-controlled systems for delivery of nanoparticles to epithelial cells cultured at the air-liquid interface.

Results: A novel air-liquid interface cell exposure system (ALICE) for nanoparticles in liquids is presented and validated.

Effects of ultrafine carbon particle inhalation on allergic inflammation of the lung.

Background: Epidemiologic studies show that exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with asthma exacerbation. Ultrafine particles (diameter <100 nm) may contribute to these adverse effects.

Objective: To investigate potential adjuvant activity of inhaled elemental carbon ultrafine particles (EC-UFPs) on allergic airway inflammation.

Cardiovascular responses in unrestrained WKY rats to inhaled ultrafine carbon particles.

Based on epidemiologic observations, the issue of adverse health effects of inhaled ultrafine particles (UFP) is currently under intensive discussion. We therefore examined cardiovascular effects of UFP in a controlled animal exposure on young, healthy WKY rats. Short-term exposure (24 h) to carbon UFPs (38 nm, 180 microg m (-3)), generated by spark discharging, induced a mild but consistent increase in heart rate (18 bpm, 4.