Traffic-related air pollution is associated with adverse respiratory effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether exposure to air pollution in a road tunnel causes airway inflammatory and blood coagulation responses.A total of 16 healthy subjects underwent bronchoscopy with bronchial mucosal biopsies and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on two occasions, in random order: once at 14 h after a 2-h exposure to air pollution in a busy road tunnel, and once after a control day with subjects exposed to urban air during normal activities. Peripheral blood was sampled prior to bronchoscopy.The road tunnel exposures included particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 mm, particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 mm and nitrogen dioxide which had median concentrations of 64, 176 and 230 mg?m -3 , respectively. Significantly higher numbers of BAL fluid total cell number, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages were present after road tunnel exposure versus control. Significantly higher nuclear expression of the transcription factor component c-Jun was found in the bronchial epithelium after exposure. No upregulation of adhesion molecules or cellular infiltration was present and blood coagulation factors were unaffected.In conclusion, exposure of healthy subjects to traffic-related air pollution resulted in a lower airway inflammatory response with cell migration, together with signs of an initiated signal transduction in the bronchial epithelium.

Objectives The inhalation of dust from swine confinement buildings causes inflammatoly responses in the airways with a rise of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The purpose of this study was to confirm the increase in serum IL-6 after inhalation of swine dust and investigate a possible increase in plasma fibrinogen. Methods Eight healthy nonsmoking volunteers inhaled dust for 4 hours inside a swine confinement building. Inhalable dust and endotoxin were sampled. The collcentrations of IL-6 and fibrinogen were determined in serum and plasma. Results The study showed a clear increase in the concentrations of IL-6 and fibrinogen after exposure. C O~C~U S~O~S As fibrinogen is an important risk factor for ischemic heart disease, the increased concentration of fibrinogen among persons exposed to swine dust may increase the risk for this disease.