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Cigarette smoke facilitates allergen penetration across respiratory epithelium

  1. K. Gangl1,
  2. R. Reininger2,
  3. D. Bernhard3,
  4. R. Campana4,
  5. I. Pree1,
  6. J. Reisinger1,
  7. M. Kneidinger5,
  8. M. Kundi6,
  9. H. Dolznig7,
  10. D. Thurnher1,
  11. P. Valent5,
  12. K.-W. Chen4,
  13. S. Vrtala5,
  14. S. Spitzauer2,
  15. R. Valenta4,
  16. V. Niederberger1

Article first published online: 17 DEC 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2008.01861.x

Issue

Allergy

Allergy

Volume 64, Issue 3, pages 398–405, March 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Gangl, K., Reininger, R., Bernhard, D., Campana, R., Pree, I., Reisinger, J., Kneidinger, M., Kundi, M., Dolznig, H., Thurnher, D., Valent, P., Chen, K.-W., Vrtala, S., Spitzauer, S., Valenta, R. and Niederberger, V. (2009), Cigarette smoke facilitates allergen penetration across respiratory epithelium. Allergy, 64: 398–405. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2008.01861.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna

  2. 2

    Clinical Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna

  3. 3

    Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck

  4. 4

    Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Research, Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology, Center for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna

  5. 5

    Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna

  6. 6

    Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna

  7. 7

    Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

*Verena Niederberger, MD Department of Otorhinolaryngology Vienna General Hospital, AKH, Medical University of Vienna Waehringer Guertel 18-20 A-1090 Vienna Austria

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 17 DEC 2008
  3. Accepted for publication 7 July 2008

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Keywords:

  • allergen penetration;
  • cigarette smoke;
  • permeability;
  • recombinant allergens;
  • respiratory epithelium

Background:  The association between cigarette smoke exposure and allergic airway disease is a matter for debate. We sought to investigate in an in vitro system whether active smoking reduces the integrity and barrier function of the respiratory epithelium and thus facilitates allergen penetration.

Methods:  We cultured the human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE14o− in a transwell culture system as a surrogate for the intact respiratory epithelium. The cell monolayer was exposed to standardized cigarette smoke extract (CSE). The extent and effects of trans-epithelial allergen penetration were measured using 125I-labelled purified major respiratory allergens (rBet v 1, rPhl p 5 and rDer p 2) and histamine release experiments.

Results:  Exposure of cells to concentrations of CSE similar to those found in smokers induced the development of para-cellular gaps and a decrease in trans-epithelial resistance. CSE exposure induced a more than threefold increase in allergen penetration. Increased subepithelial allergen concentrations provoked a substantial augmentation of histamine release from sensitized basophils.

Conclusions:  Our results indicate that cigarette smoke is a potent factor capable of reducing the barrier function of the respiratory epithelium for allergens and may contribute to increased allergic inflammation, exacerbation of allergic disease and boosting of IgE memory.

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