Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39380034›Full record

ArticleParticle and fibre toxicology2024

Effects of simulated smoke condensate generated from combustion of selected military burn pit contents on human airway epithelial cells.

Arunava Ghosh, Keith L Rogers, Samuel C Gallant, Yong Ho Kim, Julia E Rager, M Ian Gilmour, Scott H Randell, Ilona Jaspers

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Particle and fibre toxicology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Seasonal PMParticle and fibre toxicology · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Simulated burn pit smoke condensates cause sustained impact on human airway epithelial cells.Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Arunava GhoshCenter for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, 104 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7310, USA.
Keith L RogersCurriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7310, USA.
Samuel C GallantMarsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Yong Ho KimPublic Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
Julia E RagerCenter for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, 104 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7310, USA.
M Ian GilmourPublic Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
Scott H RandellMarsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Ilona JaspersCenter for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, 104 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7310, USA. ilona_jaspers@med.unc.edu.

Funding

UNC-CH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH &SUSCEPTIBILITYP30ES010126 · NIEHS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Hazel B Nichols · 2001 to 2026
$36.3M
Vector CoreP30DK065988 · NIDDK · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Scott H Randell · 2004 to 2026
$26.5M
TOXICOLOGYT32ES007126 · NIEHS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI ILONA JASPERS, Bernard E. Weissman · 1985 to 2026
$13.0M
Toxicity testing of fresh and photochemically aged burn pit smoke emissionsR03ES032539 · NIEHS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI KIM, YONG HO · 2021 to 2022
$156k
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation BOUCHE19R0Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program W81XWH-18-1-0731NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK065988NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES010126NIEHS NIH HHS R03 ES032539NIEHS NIH HHS R03ES032539NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES001726NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES007126NIH HHS DK065988
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExposure to military burn pit smoke during deployment is associated with different respiratory and non-respiratory diseases. However, information linking smoke exposure to human pulmonary health is lacking. This study examined the effects of simulated burn pit smoke condensates on human airway epithelial cells (HAECs) from twelve donors (smokers/non-smokers, biological female/male) cultured at an air-liquid interface and exposed to condensates from three simulated burn pit waste materials (cardboard, plywood, and plastic) incinerated at two combustion conditions: smoldering and flaming. Cellular gene expression was analyzed using bulk RNA sequencing, and basolateral media cytokine levels were assessed using multiplex immunoassay.

resultsFlaming smoke condensates caused more significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with plywood flaming smoke being the most potent in altering gene expression and modulating cytokine release. Cardboard and plywood flaming condensates primarily activated detoxification pathways, whereas plastic flaming affected genes related to anti-microbial and inflammatory responses. Correlation analysis between smoke condensate chemicals and gene expression to understand the underlying mechanism revealed crucial role of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aluminum, molybdenum, and silicon elements; IL6 expression was positively correlated with most PAHs. Stratification of data based on HAEC donor demographics suggests that these affect gene expression changes. Enrichment analysis indicated similarity with several deployment-related presumptive and reported diseases, including asthma, emphysema, and cancer of different organs.

conclusionsThis study highlights that simulated burn pit smoke exposure of HAECs causes gene expression changes indicative of deployment-related diseases with more pronounced effects seen in smokers and females. Future studies are needed to further characterize how sex and smoking status affect deployment-related diseases.

Indexed as

Epithelial CellsSmokeAdultCells, CulturedCytokinesFemaleHumansIncinerationMaleMilitary PersonnelOpen Waste BurningCytokinesSmokeBurn pitDifferential expression of genesHuman airway epithelial cellsRNA sequencingWaste

Identifiers

PMID39380034
PMCPMC11460082

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.