In utero exposure to mixed PAHs causes heart mass reduction in adult male mice

The key characteristics of cardiotoxicity for the pervasive pollutant phenanthrene

The key characteristic (KCs) framework has been used previously to assess the carcinogenicity and cardiotoxicity of various chemical and pharmacological agents. Here, the 12 KCs of cardiotoxicity are used to evaluate the previously reported cardiotoxicity of phenanthrene (Phe), a tricyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and major component of fossil fuel-derived air pollution. Phe is a semi-volatile pollutant existing in both the gas phase and particle phase through adsorption onto or into particulate matter (PM). Phe can translocate across the airways and gastrointestinal tract into the systemic circulation, enabling body-wide effects. Our evaluation based on a comprehensive literature review, indicates Phe exhibits 11 of the 12 KCs for cardiotoxicity. These include adverse effects on cardiac electromechanical performance, the vasculature and endothelium, immunomodulation and oxidative stress, and neuronal and endocrine control. Environmental agents that have similarly damaging effects on the cardiovascular system are heavily regulated and monitored, yet globally there is no air quality regulation specific for PAHs like Phe. Environmental monitoring of Phe is not the international standard with benzo[a]pyrene being frequently used as a proxy despite the two PAH species exhibiting significant differences in sources, concentration variations and toxic effects. The evidence summarised in this evaluation highlights the need to move away from proxied PAH measurements and develop a monitoring network capable of measuring Phe concentration. It also stresses the need to raise awareness amongst the medical community of the potential cardiovascular impact of PAH exposure. This will allow the production of mitigation strategies and possibly the development of new policies for the protection of the societal groups most vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.

Environmental dose of 16 priority-controlled PAHs mixture induce damages of vascular endothelial cells involved in oxidative stress and inflammation

Epidemiological studies have shown that cardiovascular diseases caused by PM_2.5 pollution account for the second death rate in China. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one important group of persistent organic pollutants absorbed on PM_2.5. Though individual PAH is related to vascular disease, the relationship between environmental PAHs exposure and vascular damages is still unclear. To explore the effect of PAHs on blood vessel, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are treated with 16 priority-controlled PAHs at various concentrations to study their cytotoxicity and morphological alteration. Results showed that, after 48 h treatment, PAHs mixture generally attenuated the ability of wound healing, transwell migration and tube formation of HUVECs (p < 0.01) except for 1 × PAHs in transwell migration. Moreover, PAHs increased the levels of ROS and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (p < 0.05), indicating that it exceeded the scavenging ability of superoxide dismutase activity. However, PAHs mixture did not increase apoptosis rate, which may be attribute to the difference of PAH concentration and composition between this study and previous reports. Downstream signaling cascades significantly and generally upregulated the relative expression of proteins in Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-ƙB/TNF-α pathway with the activation of oxidative stress, including HO-, TNF-α and Nrf2. In summary, this study suggests that environmental mixture of 16 priority-controlled PAHs can induce the damages of vascular endothelial cells involved in cellular oxidative stress and inflammation.