Evaluation of an air–liquid interface cell culture model for studies on the inflammatory and cytotoxic responses to tobacco smoke aerosols

•Tobacco smoke induces cytotoxicity and an inflammatory response in NCI-H292 cells.•Passage number has a significant effect on the response of cells to whole smoke.•Vapour phase contributes approximately 90% of the cytotoxic effect of whole smoke.•The cell culture system is able to differentiate between two smoking regimens. In vitro toxicological studies for tobacco product assessment have traditionally been undertaken using the particulate phase of tobacco smoke. However, this does not truly reflect exposure conditions that occur in smokers. Thus in vitro cell culture systems are required in which cells are exposed to tobacco whole smoke (WS) at the air–liquid interface (ALI). In this study bronchial epithelial cells were cultured on semi-permeable membranes, transitioned to the ALI and the robustness and sensitivity of the cells to tobacco WS and vapour phase (VP) assessed. Although no effect of air exposure was observed on cell viability, IL-6 and IL-8 release was increased. Exposure to WS resulted in a significant dose dependent decrease in cell viability and a significant non-dose dependent increase in inflammatory mediator secretion. The VP was found to contribute approximately 90% of the total cytotoxicity derived from WS. The cell culture system was also able to differentiate between two smoking regimens and was sensitive to passage number with increased inflammatory mediator secretion and lower cell viability observed in cell cultures of low passage number following WS exposure. This simple cell culture system may facilitate studies on the toxicological impact of future tobacco products and nicotine delivery devices.