Inductive effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on interleukin 8 gene expression in human bronchial epithelial cells and its regulatory mechanism / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) (30 nm in diameter) on the interleukin 8 (IL-8) gene expression in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and its regulatory mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BEAS-2B cells were used in the study. The MTT assay was employed to evaluate the damage to BEAS-2B cells by ZnO-NPs. RT-PCR and ELISA were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-8 in the BEAS-2B cells exposed to ZnO-NPs. The IL-8 mRNA decay assay was used to determine the effect of ZnO-NPs on IL-8 mRNA stability.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Exposure to ZnO-NPs significantly increased the level of IL-8 mRNA in BEAS-2B cells and the level of IL-8 protein in supernatant medium. The transcription inhibitor significantly reduced the mRNA expression of IL-8 induced by ZnO-NPs. ZnO-NPs significantly delayed IL-8 mRNA degradation in the BEAS-2B cells that were pretreated with actinomycin D for terminating IL-8 mRNA synthesis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZnO-NPs can increase the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-8 and IL-8 mRNA stability in BEAS-2B cells.</p>