Amelioration of metabolic disorders in H9C2 cardiomyocytes induced by PM_2.5 treated with vitamin C

Abstract

Objective

Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) is a public health risk. We investigate PM_2.5 on metabolites in cardiomyocytes and the influence of vitamin C on PM_2.5 toxicity.

Materials and methods

For 24 hours, H9C2 were exposed to various concentrations of PM_2.5 (0, 100, 200, 400, 800 μg/ml), after which the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell viability were measured using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and 2′,7′-dichlorofluoresceindiacetate (DCFH2-DA), respectively. H9C2 were treated with PM_2.5 (200 μg/ml) in the presence or absence of vitamin C (40 μmol/L). mRNA levels of interleukin 6(IL-6), caspase-3, fatty acid-binding protein 3 (FABP3), and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) were investigated by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Non-targeted metabolomics by LC-MS/MS was applied to evaluate the metabolic profile in the cell.

Results

Results revealed a concentration-dependent reduction in cell viability, death, ROS, and increased expression of caspase-3, FABP3, and IL-6. In total, 15 metabolites exhibited significant differential expression (FC > 2, p < 0.05) between the control and PM_2.5 group. In the PM_2.5 group, lysophosphatidylcholines (LysoPC,3/3) were upregulated, whereas amino acids (5/5), amino acid analogues (3/3), and other acids and derivatives (4/4) were downregulated. PM_2.5 toxicity was lessened by vitamin C. It reduced PM_2.5-induced elevation of LysoPC (16:0), LysoPC (16:1), and LysoPC (18:1).

Discussion and conclusions

PM_2.5 induces metabolic disorders in H9C2 cardiomyocytes that can be ameliorated by treatment with vitamin C.

Keywords:

• PM_2.5
• vitamin C
• non-targeted metabolomics
• metabolites
• air pollution

Acknowledgements

The authors thank The Science and Technology Bureau of Anyang City’s help.

Authors’ contributions

All authors participated in the design, interpretation of the studies, data analysis, and manuscript review. LWJ, HZY, and ZSH performed material preparation, data collection, and analysis. LY, ZXP, BXB, HXY, and ZHJ conducted the experiments. LWJ wrote the first draft of the manuscript.

Ethics approval

Not applicable.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and technology key project in the science and technology bureau of Anyang: A studyon the effect and mechanism of PM2.5 in Anyang city on rat myocardial cell H9C2 and a Study on the mechanism of FABP3 on myocardial cells under high glucose [grant number 2021C01SF038]. The funders played no role in this study’s design, conduct, or reporting.