biostudies-literatureYamamoto ANational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNIEHS NIH HHSNational Health and Medical Research Council, Australia271-279https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9836833biostudies-literatureUnknown248(3)Epidemiological evidence links lower air quality with increased incidence and severity of COVID-19; however, mechanistic data have yet to be published. We hypothesized air pollution-induced oxidative stress in the nasal epithelium increased viral replication and inflammation. Nasal epithelial cells (NECs), collected from healthy adults, were grown into a fully differentiated epithelium. NECs were infected with the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2. An oxidant combustion by-product found in air pollution, the environmentally persistent free radical (EPFR) DCB230, was used to mimic pollution exposure four hours prior to infection. Some wells were pretreated with antioxidant, astaxanthin, for 24 hours prior to EPFR-DCB230 exposure and/or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes included viral replication,Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)Environmentally persistent free radicals enhance SARS-CoV-2 replication in respiratory epithelium.PMC983683311938403P42 ES013648-08A1S1P42 ES013648Khachatryan LShort KRYeo AJChew KYVu LDBegum NCormier SAFantino EYamamoto ASly PDfalseEnvironmentally persistent free radicals enhance SARS-CoV-2 replication in respiratory epithelium.Epidemiological evidence links lower air quality with increased incidence and severity of COVID-19; however, mechanistic data have yet to be published. We hypothesized air pollution-induced oxidative stress in the nasal epithelium increased viral replication and inflammation. Nasal epithelial cells (NECs), collected from healthy adults, were grown into a fully differentiated epithelium. NECs were infected with the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2. An oxidant combustion by-product found in air pollution, the environmentally persistent free radical (EPFR) DCB230, was used to mimic pollution exposure four hours prior to infection. Some wells were pretreated with antioxidant, astaxanthin, for 24 hours prior to EPFR-DCB230 exposure and/or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes included viral replication,2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Feb2026-03-31T11:19:20.777Z2025-04-19T22:26:45.896ZS-EPMC98368333662892810.1177/15353702221142616