Oxidative stress-induced mitochondria alteration in human airway smooth muscle cells and mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

RATIONALE: Exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) is the primary cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by CS, as well as by infiltrating inflammatory cells, in conjunction with compromised antioxidant defenses in the lungs of COPD patients, results in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress leads to defective function of lung cells, such as airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs), driving airway inflammation and remodelling. Mitochondrial dysfunction caused by oxidative stress leads to changes in cell survival and inflammatory responses. Mitochondrial transfer between mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and airway cells has been shown to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction in lung disease models. We investigated the effect of oxidative stress on mitochondrial function and viability of …