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Featuring:

ASCCT 14th Annual Meeting Poster Award Recipient

ASCCT 14th Annual Meeting Travel Award Recipient

A brief Q&A session will follow each presentation.

ABSTRACTS

ABSTRACT COMING SOON: First Use of In Vitro Respiratory Tract Models for a TSCA Test Order: Evaluating Hexafluoropropylene Oxide (HFPO) Effects Across Three Regions of the Respiratory Tract

The oral epithelium, as the primary barrier to environmental exposures in the oral cavity, is increasingly threatened by ubiquitous substances, including flavoring additives, airborne particles, and e-cigarette liquids. These exposures have been linked to inflammation, tissue damage, and oral diseases, including cancer. However, little is known about how they affect oral basal progenitor cells (BPCs), which are responsible for renewing and maintaining the epithelial lining. In this study, we established a robust in vitro culture system for murine oral BPCs, enabling long-term propagation and organoid formation that recapitulates in vivo epithelial architecture. Using this model, we systematically assessed the toxicity of representative environmental agents. We found that the majority induced significant, dose-dependent BPC damage. Notably, flavoring agents and e-liquids caused pronounced cell loss at exposure levels relevant to consumer use. Mechanistic analyses revealed that reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines are central mediators of this toxicity. Importantly, we identified that a combination of generally safe antioxidant molecules effectively mitigated oxidative damage and restored BPC viability. Additionally, a widely used anti-inflammatory drug rescued BPCs from specific insults not addressed by antioxidants, suggesting distinct but complementary therapeutic pathways. Together, this work provides the first evidence that environmental exposures compromise oral epithelial homeostasis through BPC injury and identifies safe, small-molecule interventions with translational potential for oral mucosal protection and preventive healthcare.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Shaun McCullough, PhD - Bio coming soon

Dr. Sezin Aday Aydin is a Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania and a translational bioengineer focused on developing human-relevant microphysiological systems for mechanistic toxicology. Her current research focuses on organ-on-a-chip and vascularized tissue models that recapitulate human barrier function and tissue microenvironments to investigate injury mechanisms and identify predictive biomarkers. She has led interdisciplinary, government- and foundation-funded projects spanning inhalation toxicology, oral and mucosal exposure, and neurovascular biology, with the goal of advancing more predictive, human-relevant approaches while reducing reliance on animal models.

Please note that only Dr. McCullough's presentation will be recorded. The recording and select materials from this webinar will be posted on the ASCCT webinar archive: https://ASCCTox.org/Webinar-Archive