Trimellitic anhydride facilitates transepithelial permeability disrupting tight junctions in sinonasal epithelial cells

[Display omitted] •TMA attenuates transepithelial electrical resistance and increases paracellular permeability.•ZO-1 and claudin-1 are disrupted by TMA in a dose-dependent manner.•Trimellitic anhydride shows cytotoxicity only after prolonged incubation. Trimellitic anhydride (TMA) is a chemical agent classified as a low molecular weight (LMW) agent causing occupational rhinitis (OR) or asthma. Although TMA is recognized as a respiratory sensitizer, the direct and non-immunologic effects of TMA remain unclear. Air- liquid interface (ALI) cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) derived from control subjects were treated with TMA, followed by measurement of the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), paracellular permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran and immunofluorescence of tight junction proteins claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). The cytotoxicity of TMA was evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. TMA at concentrations of 2 and 4 mg/mL significantly reduced the TEER within 10 min (p = 0.0177 on 2 mg/mL; p