In Vitro Systems for Toxicity Evaluation of Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds on Humans: Current Status and...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Toxicology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) are biologically produced airborne chemicals with significant ecological roles.
• mVOCs influence plant growth and can induce human discomfort and disease, particularly affecting respiratory health.
• Existing research links mVOCs to respiratory symptoms, yet standardized toxicity testing systems and regulatory consideration are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current in vitro exposure systems and lung models for assessing mVOC toxicity.
• To evaluate the suitability of existing models for understanding mVOCs' effects on human respiratory health.
• To identify limitations in current mVOC fingerprinting and modeling approaches.

Main Methods:

• Literature survey of in vitro exposure systems and lung models.
• Review of submerged cultivation, air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, spheroids, organoids, and multi-organ models.
• Comparative analysis of model advantages, disadvantages, and limitations.

Main Results:

• A range of in vitro systems including ALI, spheroids, organoids, and multi-organ models are available for mVOC exposure studies.
• Significant limitations exist in current mVOC fingerprinting techniques and their application in toxicological assessments.
• No standardized test systems are currently available for evaluating the toxicity of mVOCs on human health.

Conclusions:

• Existing in vitro models show promise but require further development and standardization for robust mVOC toxicity assessment.
• Advanced models like organoids and multi-organ systems offer potential for more accurate human respiratory responses to mVOCs.
• Future research should focus on developing standardized, human-relevant models to address the regulatory and health implications of mVOC exposure.