Glutathione protects human airway proteins and epithelial cells from isocyanates

Summary Background Glutathione (GSH), one of the major anti‐oxidants of the lung, has been linked to the human response to isocyanate exposure. However, the ability of GSH to modulate key chemical reactions, thought to be central to the development of human isocyanate allergy, has not been directly analyzed under biologic exposure conditions. Objective To better understand the potential role of GSH in the response to occupational isocyanate exposure, we evaluated its effects on two processes thought to be involved in the development of isocyanate allergy, isocyanate–protein conjugation and epithelial cell toxicity. Methods The effects of GSH on (1) isocyanate conjugation with albumin, its major target in the airway fluid and (2) isocyanate‐induced toxicity to human airway epithelial cell lines, A549 and NCI‐H292, were tested using two different in vitro models. For protein conjugation studies, a newly described vapour exposure system was used to model the air/liquid interface at the surface of the epithelial fluid in the airways. Epithelial cell exposures were performed in fluid phase to mimic the in vivo exposure of airway cells covered by epithelial lining fluid. Results Reduced GSH prevented hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) conjugation to albumin in a dose‐dependent manner, while oxidized GSH (GSSG) conversely increased conjugation rates. GSH levels equivalent to those found in normal human airway fluid (100 μm) provided >90% protection against HDI‐protein conjugation when albumin was exposed to HDI vapour levels 10‐fold above permissible occupational limits. Physiologic levels of GSH, but not GSSG, also reduced HDI toxicity to human airway epithelial cells in a dose‐dependent manner, when present extracellularly, however, drugs that modulate intra‐cellular GSH levels did not significantly alter isocyanate toxicity. Conclusions Together with previously reported genetic and toxicity studies, the data suggest that airway GSH plays an important role in protection against HDI exposure and may help prevent the development of allergic sensitization and asthma.