Ambient particulate air pollution from vehicles promotes lipid peroxidation and inflammatory responses in rat lung

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of particledependent lung injury. Ambient particle levels from vehicles have not been previously shown to cause oxidative stress to the lungs. The present study was conducted to a) determine whether short-term exposure to ambient levels of particulate air pollution from vehicles elicits inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation in rat lungs, and b) determine if intermittent short-term exposures (every 4 days) induce some degree of tolerance. Three-month-old male Wistar rats were exposed to ambient particulate matter (PM) from vehicles (N = 30) for 6 or 20 continuous hours, or for intermittent (5 h) periods during 20 h for 4 consecutive days or to filtered air (PM <10 µm; N = 30). Rats continuously breathing polluted air for 20 h (P-20) showed a significant increase in the total number of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage compared to control (C-20: 2.61 x 10 5 ± 0.51; P-20: 5.01 x 10 5 ± 0.81; P < 0.05) and in lipid peroxidation ([MDA] nmol/mg protein: C-20: 0.148 ± 0.01; P-20: 0.226 ± 0.02; P < 0.05). Shorter exposure (6 h) and intermittent 5-h exposures over a period of 4 days did not cause significant changes in leukocytes. Lipid damage resulting from 20-h exposure to particulate air pollution did not cause a significant increase in lung water content. These data suggest oxidative stress as one of the mechanisms responsible for the acute adverse respiratory effects of particles, and suggest that short-term inhalation of ambient particulate air pollution from street with high automobile traffic represents a biological hazard.

A systematic review of the physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants from biomass burning and combustion of fossil fuels and health effects in Brazil

“…Ninety articles (66%) deal with the adverse respiratory effects of air pollution of which 54 (60%) were selected 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,…”

Roles of oxidative stress in signaling and inflammation induced by particulate matter

“…Although the mechanisms involved in PM-induced injuries are complex and not fully understood, free radicals and oxidative stress have been extensively implicated in inflammatory response after exposure to particulate matter (Donaldson et al 2005;Donaldson and Stone 2003;Pereira et al 2007). Evidence suggests that PM have oxidative properties and induce oxidation-dependent alterations in inflammatory cells, as alveolar macrophages, which in turn have been involved in the production of reactive oxygen species (Donaldson et al 2003;González-Flecha 2004;Ohyama et al 2007).…”

“…In vivo studies report lipid peroxidation together with increased SOD and catalase levels after PM inhalation (Gurgueira et al 2002;Pereira et al 2007), which can trigger oxidative stress in the airway epithelium. As a result, multiple proinflammatory cytokines are expressed and airway inflammation develops (Anseth et al 2005).…”

Environmental Pollution and Health Consequences

“…Signifi cant results were observed in an animal system for MDA levels [ 76 ] and after wood smoke exposure for 15-F 2t -IsoP levels [ 77 ]. A study of Sorensen et al [ 78 ] measured PM2.5 and carbon black exposure in 50 students in Copenhagen four times in 1 year and analyzed, among others, also MDA levels.…”