83 Shipping-associated particulate matter enhances viral susceptibility and heightens inflammatory responses in bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells

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Abstract Background Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) has been associated with adverse effects on the respiratory system. Shipping-associated PM is an important contributor to airborne PM in port and coastal areas, but composition-specific effects are poorly understood. Objective To investigate the effects of shipping-associated PM on bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells. Methods Coarse, fine and ultrafine PM (UFPM) was collected near a cruise shipping terminal at the Port of Southampton. Composition was characterised by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. 16HBE14o- bronchial epithelial cells exposed to 100 µg/mL PM for 24 h were analysed transcriptomically by RNA-seq. Effects of metals enriched in cruise ship UFPM were studied in alveolar epithelial cells (AEC). Gene and protein expression were measured by RT-qPCR, and Western blotting, and inflammatory mediator release by ELISA. Effects on viral replication were studied by viral copy number RT-qPCR in human primary bronchial epithelial cells infected with rhinovirus-16 (RV-16), and focus-forming assay in VeroE6 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Results Cruise shipping-associated UFPM was enriched in vanadium, nickel and cobalt, inducing inflammatory mediator release in 16HBE14o-. RNA-Seq revealed significant UFPM-induced downregulation of interferon signalling pathways. In AEC this was recapitulated by vanadium, inducing downregulation of antiviral genes (ISG15: 0.22-fold, IFIT1: 0.10-fold, P ≤ 0.05). Similar vanadium-mediated inhibition was observed following stimulation by interferon-β- and poly(I:C). Replication of RV16 and SARS-CoV-2 was increased by vanadium exposure. Conclusions Shipping-associated UFPM impairs antiviral signalling and drives a pro-inflammatory response, effects recapitulated by vanadium. Further research is needed to understand the implications of these findings in vivo.

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