Multiple exposures to poultry barn air and lipopolysaccharide synergistically increase the pulmonary expression of TLR-4 and IL-1β

Cervical cancer in low and middle-income countries

Cervical cancer is a malignant tumour that occurs in the cervix and is classified into two histological types, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); SCC is more common and accounts for 70% of all cases. In 2018 there were ~569,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed worldwide and ~311,000 deaths were attributed to cervical cancer. Of these, between 84 and 90% occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa, India, China and Brazil. The most common cause of cervical cancer is persistent infection caused by the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus. Other factors that contribute to the incidence of cervical cancer include geography, traditional practices and beliefs, the screening levels, socioeconomic status, healthcare access, public awareness, use of oral contraceptives, smoking and co-infection with HIV. An estimated 11 million women from LMICs will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the next 10-20 years. The aim of this review was to explore various types of genetic and epigenetic factors that influence the development, progression or suppression of cervical cancer.

Multiple exposures to poultry barn air and lipopolysaccharide synergistically increase the pulmonary expression of TLR-4 and IL-1β

Objective

Poultry farm workers are exposed to barn air and suffer from various respiratory disorders. Due to frequent prevalence of endotoxin in the farm settings workers can get co‐exposed to barn air and endotoxin. The study was aimed to explore the pulmonary damage following long‐term multiple exposures to poultry barn air with or without endotoxin.

Methods

We studied the pulmonary expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and Interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) by exposing Swiss albino mice to poultry barn air for 6 days (Monday‐Saturday) in a week for 5 and 10 weeks. At the end of exposure, animals were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or normal saline solution @80 μg/mouse intranasally. Histopathology, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and blood analysis were used to characterize lung damage. mRNA and protein expression of TLR4 and IL‐1β were evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

Histopathology along with TLC and DLC of blood and BAL fluid revealed lung damage following multiple exposures and damage was severe in combination with LPS. Exposures altered mRNA and protein expression of TLR‐4 and IL‐1β and the expression was more marked following 30 days of exposure. Further LPS co‐challenge showed a synergistic effect on the expression of TLR4 and IL‐1β.

Conclusions

The data suggest that long‐term exposures with or without LPS caused lung damage and altered the pulmonary expression of TLR4 and IL‐1β.