Primary human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to acute vs chronic woodsmoke condensate: Responses evaluated using bulk RNA sequencing

Wildfires are increasing in intensity and prevalence and are associated with respiratory health effects such as asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory infections. Recent research highlights lung cell molecular changes following acute wildfire and woodsmoke exposure. However, chronic, repeat exposure conditions that may be more typical of community-level exposures to wildfire and woodsmoke remain to be characterized in controlled, in vitro molecular toxicology studies. The goal of this project was to evaluate similarities and differences in transcriptional responses of primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) exposed to woodsmoke condensate following acute vs. chronic exposure. Woodsmoke condensate was generated from the burning of red oak at smoldering conditions, and cells were exposed for either 4 hours (acute) or 4 hours, 3 days per week, for two weeks (chronic).