Airway basal cell injury after acute diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) vapor exposure

Diacetyl (DA; 2,3-butanedione) is a chemical found commonly in foods and e-cigarettes. When inhaled, DA causes epithelial injury, though the mechanism of repair remain poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate airway basal cell repair after DA vapor exposure. Primary human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to DA or PBS for 1 h. Lactate dehydrogenase, cleaved caspase 3/7 and trans-epithelial electrical resistance were...