Academic Journal
PM 2.5 suppresses IL-8-mediated epithelial migration of human conjunctival epithelial cells.
| Τίτλος: | PM 2.5 suppresses IL-8-mediated epithelial migration of human conjunctival epithelial cells. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Chen CT; Department of Health and Welfare, University of Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Lin ZH; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Lin TY; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; School of Chinese Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Phan SN; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Faculty of Traditional Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam., Yeh H; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Lin WT; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Li YL; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC., Tsai CY; Department of Health and Welfare, University of Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA [J Chin Med Assoc] 2026 Sep 01; Vol. 89 (9), pp. 684-693. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Aug 19. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 101174817 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1728-7731 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17264901 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Chin Med Assoc Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2019- : [Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands] : Wolters Kluwer Health Original Publication: Taipei, Taiwan : Chinese Medical Association, c2003- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Interleukin-8*/physiology , Interleukin-8*/pharmacology , Interleukin-8*/antagonists & inhibitors , Epithelial Cells*/physiology , Epithelial Cells*/drug effects , Cell Movement*/drug effects , Conjunctiva*/cytology , Particulate Matter*/toxicity, Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Humans |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is a major component of ambient air pollution and is a significant environmental health concern. The conjunctiva is continuously exposed to airborne pollutants, but the direct effects of PM 2.5 on conjunctival epithelial repair remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether PM 2.5 disrupts conjunctival epithelial homeostasis and examined the functional role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in this process. Methods: Immortalized human conjunctival epithelial cells (IM-HConEpiC) were exposed to PM 2.5 . Cell viability, apoptosis, epithelial migration, inflammatory mediators, and cytokine profiles were evaluated using biochemical, functional, and cytokine array analyses. The functional role of IL-8 was also determined using recombinant IL-8 supplementation and neutralization assays. Results: PM 2.5 exposure reduced conjunctival epithelial cell viability in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and induced mild apoptotic responses. More importantly, PM 2.5 markedly impaired epithelial migration and wound closure. Cytokine profiling revealed that PM 2.5 selectively remodeled inflammatory mediators, rather than eliciting a generalized inflammatory response. IL-8 was identified as the most prominently suppressed cytokine. Functional gain- and loss-of-function studies identified IL-8 as a key regulator of conjunctival epithelial repair. Specifically, recombinant IL-8 significantly restored PM 2.5 -induced impairment of epithelial migration and partially rescued the reduction in cell viability, whereas neutralization of endogenous IL-8 impaired epithelial migration under basal conditions, supporting a critical role for IL-8 in maintaining conjunctival epithelial homeostasis. Conclusion: PM 2.5 compromises conjunctival epithelial homeostasis, primarily by impairing epithelial repair, rather than inducing extensive cell death. This study identified IL-8 as an important regulator of conjunctival epithelial repair and suggests that suppression of IL-8 contributes to PM 2.5 -induced conjunctival dysfunction. (Copyright © 2026, the Chinese Medical Association.) |
| Competing Interests: | Conflicts of interest: Dr. Tung-Yi Lin, an editorial board member at the Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, had no role in the peer review process of or decision to publish this article. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to the subject matter or materials discussed in this article. |
| References: | Toxicol In Vitro. 2018 Oct;52:365-373. (PMID: 30048734) Allergy. 2022 May;77(5):1360-1372. (PMID: 34757631) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017 Jun 1;58(7):3189-3201. (PMID: 28654984) Int J Ophthalmol. 2021 May 18;14(5):666-675. (PMID: 34012880) Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2025 Sep;46(9):877-890. (PMID: 40713381) Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jul 06;9:909330. (PMID: 35872759) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Jan;48(1):270-6. (PMID: 17197543) Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Nov;279(Pt 4):135548. (PMID: 39270905) Mucosal Immunol. 2022 Jun;15(6):1143-1157. (PMID: 36002743) Ann Glob Health. 2019 Dec 16;85(1):141. (PMID: 31871904) Cancer Res. 2011 Aug 1;71(15):5296-306. (PMID: 21653678) Circ Res. 2016 Nov 11;119(11):1204-1214. (PMID: 27780829) Exp Eye Res. 2022 Jun;219:109057. (PMID: 35358536) Cytokine. 2008 Oct;44(1):160-7. (PMID: 18760623) Clin Ophthalmol. 2024 Nov 13;18:3263-3270. (PMID: 39555215) Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 May 31;238:124144. (PMID: 36958446) Environ Int. 2025 Jan;195:109193. (PMID: 39721566) Cell Mol Immunol. 2023 Mar;20(3):217-251. (PMID: 36725964) Chin Med J (Engl). 2022 Feb 10;135(5):513-515. (PMID: 35149640) Exp Ther Med. 2012 Feb;3(2):231-236. (PMID: 22969874) Gene Expr Patterns. 2013 Dec;13(8):303-10. (PMID: 23727298) Acta Ophthalmol. 2020 Mar;98(2):e173-e177. (PMID: 31486595) Environ Pollut. 2017 Aug;227:314-322. (PMID: 28477555) Environ Pollut. 2024 Mar 15;345:123488. (PMID: 38311159) Toxicol In Vitro. 2013 Sep;27(6):1762-70. (PMID: 23685237) Toxicol Res (Camb). 2022 Jan 19;11(1):195-205. (PMID: 35237424) Acta Ophthalmol. 2019 May;97(3):e460-e470. (PMID: 30860674) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Conjunctiva; Fine particulate matter; IL-8; Migration |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Interleukin-8) 0 (Particulate Matter) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260819 Date Completed: 20260922 Latest Revision: 20261013 |
| Update Code: | 20261014 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13596965 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001418 |
| PMID: | 42613635 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1728-7731 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001418 |