Acetaldehyde and Hexanaldehyde in Cultured White Cells

We hypothesized that human white blood cells generate gas profiles, in particular, aldehydes, that are likely products of substrate degradation. To test this, we developed a bioreactor and analytical GC/MS system to accurately quantify trace gases emitted solely from cell/media culture. A human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL60, grown in serum‐free medium was used as a model system in this study. Non‐stimulated HL60 cells released acetaldehyde and hexanaldehyde to the gas phase in a time‐dependent manner. The mean (SD) of acetaldehyde and hexanaldehyde concentration following 4‐, 24‐ and 48‐hour incubation from non‐stimulated HL60 cells were 157 (13) ppbv, 490 (99) ppbv, 698 (87) ppbv, and 1 (0.3) ppbv, 8 (2) ppbv, and 11 (2) ppbv, respectively. Our experimental system permitted us to distinguish gases likely originating in the cell culture from contaminants such as styrene. This study demonstrates that non‐stimulated human immune cells produce volatile gases that can be measured in vitro in trace amounts. (R01‐HL‐080947 and P01‐HD‐048721, D.M.C and Physical Sciences Dean's Innovation fund, D.R. B.).