Synergistic Detrimental Effects of Cigarette Smoke, Alcohol, and SARS-CoV-2 in COPD Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Abenaya Muralidharan; Christopher D. Bauer; Dawn M. Katafiasz; Heather M. Strah; Aleem Siddique; St Patrick Reid; Kristina L. Bailey; Todd A. Wyatt

doi:10.3390/pathogens12030498

Pathogens (Mar 2023)

Synergistic Detrimental Effects of Cigarette Smoke, Alcohol, and SARS-CoV-2 in COPD Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Abenaya Muralidharan,
Christopher D. Bauer,
Dawn M. Katafiasz,
Heather M. Strah,
Aleem Siddique,
St Patrick Reid,
Kristina L. Bailey,
Todd A. Wyatt

Affiliations

Abenaya Muralidharan: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Christopher D. Bauer: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Dawn M. Katafiasz: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Heather M. Strah: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Aleem Siddique: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
St Patrick Reid: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Kristina L. Bailey: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Todd A. Wyatt: Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030498
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 3
p. 498

Abstract

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Lung conditions such as COPD, as well as risk factors such as alcohol misuse and cigarette smoking, can exacerbate COVID-19 disease severity. Synergistically, these risk factors can have a significant impact on immunity against pathogens. Here, we studied the effect of a short exposure to alcohol and/or cigarette smoke extract (CSE) in vitro on acute SARS-CoV-2 infection of ciliated human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) collected from healthy and COPD donors. We observed an increase in viral titer in CSE- or alcohol-treated COPD HBECs compared to untreated COPD HBECs. Furthermore, we treated healthy HBECs accompanied by enhanced lactate dehydrogenase activity, indicating exacerbated injury. Finally, IL-8 secretion was elevated due to the synergistic damage mediated by alcohol, CSE, and SARS-CoV-2 in COPD HBECs. Together, our data suggest that, with pre-existing COPD, short exposure to alcohol or CSE is sufficient to exacerbate SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated injury, impairing lung defences.

Published in Pathogens

ISSN: 2076-0817 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/pathogens

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