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Rio P, Gasbarrini A, Gambassi G, Cianci R. Pollutants, microbiota and immune system: frenemies within the gut. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1285186. [PMID: 38799688 PMCID: PMC11116734 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1285186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Pollution is a critical concern of modern society for its heterogeneous effects on human health, despite a widespread lack of awareness. Environmental pollutants promote several pathologies through different molecular mechanisms. Pollutants can affect the immune system and related pathways, perturbing its regulation and triggering pro-inflammatory responses. The exposure to several pollutants also leads to alterations in gut microbiota with a decreasing abundance of beneficial microbes, such as short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, and an overgrowth of pro-inflammatory species. The subsequent intestinal barrier dysfunction, together with oxidative stress and increased inflammatory responses, plays a role in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases. Moreover, pollutants encourage the inflammation-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence through various mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, dysregulation of cellular signalling pathways, cell cycle impairment and genomic instability. In this narrative review, we will describe the interplay between pollutants, gut microbiota, and the immune system, focusing on their relationship with inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying the health-to-disease transition may allow the design of public health policies aimed at reducing the burden of disease related to pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rossella Cianci
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Wang H, Li J, Liu Q, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Li H, Sun L, Hu B, Zhang D, Liang C, Lei J, Wang P, Sheng J, Tao F, Chen G, Yang L. Physical activity attenuates the association of long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide with sleep quality and its dimensions in Chinese rural older adults. J Affect Disord 2024; 349:187-196. [PMID: 38199389 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Joint impacts of air pollution and physical activity (PA) on sleep quality remain unaddressed. We aimed to investigate whether PA attenuates the association of long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with sleep quality and its dimensions in older adults. METHODS This study included 3408 Chinese rural older adults. Annual NO2 was estimated using the Space-Time Extra-Trees model. PA was assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Sleep quality was evaluated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations of long-term NO2 exposure and PA with sleep quality and its dimensions, and interaction plots were used to depict the attenuating effect of PA on associations of NO2 with sleep quality and its dimensions. RESULTS Three-year (3-y) average NO2 (per 0.64-μg/m3 increment) was positively associated with global PSQI (β = 0.41, 95 % CI: 0.23, 0.59), sleep duration (β = 0.16, 95 % CI: 0.11, 0.21), and habitual sleep efficiency (β = 0.22, 95 % CI: 0.17, 0.27), while PA was negatively associated with global PSQI (β = -0.33, 95 % CI: -0.46, -0.20) and five domains of PSQI other than sleep duration and sleep disturbances. The associations of NO2 with global PSQI, sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency were attenuated with increased PA (Pinteraction were 0.037, 0.020, and 0.079, respectively). CONCLUSIONS PA attenuates the adverse impacts of long-term NO2 exposure on sleep quality, especially on sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency, in Chinese rural elderly people. Participating in PA should be encouraged in this population, and continued efforts are still needed to reduce air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Wang
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Junzhe Li
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Huaibiao Li
- Fuyang Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, Fuyang 236069, Anhui, China
| | - Liang Sun
- Fuyang Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, Fuyang 236069, Anhui, China
| | - Bing Hu
- Fuyang Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, Fuyang 236069, Anhui, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Chunmei Liang
- School of Public Health, Department of Hygiene Inspection and Quarantine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jingyuan Lei
- School of Public Health, Department of Hygiene Inspection and Quarantine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Panpan Wang
- School of Public Health, Department of Hygiene Inspection and Quarantine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jie Sheng
- Scientific Research Center in Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Guimei Chen
- School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Linsheng Yang
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
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Chen H, Duan Q, Zhu H, Wan S, Zhao X, Ye D, Fang X. Short-term association of CO and NO 2 with hospital visits for glomerulonephritis in Hefei, China: a time series study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1239378. [PMID: 37670834 PMCID: PMC10475946 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1239378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Recent studies suggest air pollution as an underlying factor to kidney disease. However, there is still limited knowledge about the short-term correlation between glomerulonephritis (GN) and air pollution. Thus, we aim to fill this research gap by investigating the short-term correlation between GN clinical visits and air pollution exposure. Methods Between 2015 and 2019, daily GN visit data from two grade A tertiary hospitals in Hefei City were collected, along with corresponding air pollution and meteorological data. A generalized linear model integrated with a distributed lag nonlinear model was employed to analyze the relationship between GN visits and air pollutants. Moreover, we incorporated a dual pollutant model to account for the combined effects of multiple pollutants. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were performed to identify vulnerable populations based on gender, age, and season. Results The association between 23,475 GN visits and air pollutants was assessed, and significant positive associations were found between CO and NO2 exposure and GN visit risk. The single-day lagged effect model for CO showed increased risks for GN visits from lag0 (RR: 1.129, 95% CI: 1.031-1.236) to lag2 (RR: 1.034, 95% CI: 1.011-1.022), with the highest risk at lag0. In contrast, NO2 displayed a more persistent impact (lag1-lag4) on GN visit risk, peaking at lag2 (RR: 1.017, 95% CI: 1.011-1.022). Within the dual-pollutant model, the significance persisted for both CO and NO2 after adjusting for each other. Subgroup analyses showed that the cumulative harm of CO was greater in the cold-season and older adult groups. Meanwhile, the female group was more vulnerable to the harmful effects of cumulative exposure to NO2. Conclusion Our study indicated that CO and NO2 exposure can raise the risk of GN visits, and female and older adult populations exhibited greater susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qiong Duan
- Department of Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Huahui Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shuai Wan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xinyi Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dongqing Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xinyu Fang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Gallo E, Bressan S, Baraldo S, Bottigliengo D, Geremia S, Acar AS, Zagolin L, Marson G, Da Dalt L, Gregori D. Increased risk of emergency department presentations for bronchiolitis in infants exposed to air pollution. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023; 43:1137-1144. [PMID: 35989078 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of several respiratory diseases in children, especially respiratory tract infections. The present study aims to evaluate the association between pediatric emergency department (PED) presentations for bronchiolitis and air pollution. PED presentations due to bronchiolitis in children aged less than 1 year were retrospectively collected from 2007 to 2018 in Padova, Italy, together with daily environmental data. A conditional logistic regression based on a time-stratified case-crossover design was performed to evaluate the association between PED presentations and exposure to NO2 , PM2.5, and PM10. Models were adjusted for temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and public holidays. Delayed effects in time were evaluated using distributed lag non-linear models. Odds ratio for lagged exposure from 0 to 14 days were obtained. Overall, 2251 children presented to the PED for bronchiolitis. Infants' exposure to higher concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the 5 days before the presentation to the PED increased the risk of accessing the PED by more than 10%, whereas high concentrations of NO2 between 2 and 12 days before the PED presentation were associated with an increased risk of up to 30%. The association between pollutants and infants who required hospitalization was even greater. A cumulative effect of NO2 among the 2 weeks preceding the presentation was also observed. In summary, PM and NO2 concentrations are associated with PED presentations and hospitalizations for bronchiolitis. Exposure of infants to air pollution could damage the respiratory tract mucosa, facilitating viral infections and exacerbating symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Gallo
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Bressan
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Simonetta Baraldo
- Respiratory Diseases Clinic, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Daniele Bottigliengo
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Geremia
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Luca Zagolin
- Environmental Protection and Prevention Agency of the Veneto Region, Venezia, Italy
| | - Giovanna Marson
- Environmental Protection and Prevention Agency of the Veneto Region, Venezia, Italy
| | - Liviana Da Dalt
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Dario Gregori
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Liu W, Jie L, Liu D, Makino ET, Krutmann J, Mehta RC. Protective effects of a day/night dual-antioxidant serum on skin: A randomized, regimen-controlled study in Chinese women exposed to air pollution. J Cosmet Dermatol 2023; 22:245-254. [PMID: 35150184 PMCID: PMC10078722 DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic exposure to air pollution can negatively affect skin health. AIMS To assess the efficacy of the LUMIVIVE® System (LVS), a skincare system consisting of individual day and night serums, in Chinese women exposed to air pollution. PATIENTS/METHODS In this single-center, vehicle-controlled study, eligible females (mean age, 49.02 years) were randomized 1:1 to treatment group (LVS plus basic moisturizer) or control group (basic moisturizer). Skin color, sebum content, barrier function, elasticity, and texture were measured at baseline and at each follow-up visit (days 28, 56, and 84). Air pollution parameters were collected throughout the study. RESULTS Air pollution levels, including PM2.5 and NO2 , were consistently high during the study. The treatment group showed significantly higher skin color L* (p ≤ 0.0001) and lower a* values (p ≤ 0.05) at all follow-up visits compared with the control group, indicating lower skin pigmentation and redness, respectively. Skin color L* and a* values remained unchanged over time for the control group but were significantly different at all follow-up visits compared to baseline (p ≤ 0.0001 and p ≤ 0.05, respectively) for the treatment group. There was an increasing trend for sebum content in the control group, which was not observed in the treatment group. Both groups showed improvements over time in other skin physiology parameters. CONCLUSIONS The current analysis demonstrates the efficacy of LVS plus basic moisturizer compared with basic moisturizer alone to reduce skin pigmentation and redness, as well as to mitigate sebum production, in Chinese women exposed to air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Air Force, Beijing, China
| | - Liyun Jie
- Department of Dermatology, The First People's Hospital of Bijie, Guizhou, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Air Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | | | - Jean Krutmann
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rahul C Mehta
- Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company, Irvine, CA, USA
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Aghapour M, Ubags ND, Bruder D, Hiemstra PS, Sidhaye V, Rezaee F, Heijink IH. Role of air pollutants in airway epithelial barrier dysfunction in asthma and COPD. Eur Respir Rev 2022; 31:31/163/210112. [PMID: 35321933 PMCID: PMC9128841 DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0112-2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic exposure to environmental pollutants is a major contributor to the development and progression of obstructive airway diseases, including asthma and COPD. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of obstructive lung diseases upon exposure to inhaled pollutants will lead to novel insights into the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of these diseases. The respiratory epithelial lining forms a robust physicochemical barrier protecting the body from inhaled toxic particles and pathogens. Inhalation of airborne particles and gases may impair airway epithelial barrier function and subsequently lead to exaggerated inflammatory responses and airway remodelling, which are key features of asthma and COPD. In addition, air pollutant-induced airway epithelial barrier dysfunction may increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, thereby increasing the risk of exacerbations and thus triggering further inflammation. In this review, we discuss the molecular and immunological mechanisms involved in physical barrier disruption induced by major airborne pollutants and outline their implications in the pathogenesis of asthma and COPD. We further discuss the link between these pollutants and changes in the lung microbiome as a potential factor for aggravating airway diseases. Understanding these mechanisms may lead to identification of novel targets for therapeutic intervention to restore airway epithelial integrity in asthma and COPD. Exposure to air pollution induces airway epithelial barrier dysfunction through several mechanisms including increased oxidative stress, exaggerated cytokine responses and impaired host defence, which contributes to development of asthma and COPD. https://bit.ly/3DHL1CA
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahyar Aghapour
- Infection Immunology Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Infection Control and Prevention, Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Immune Regulation Group, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Niki D Ubags
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Service de Pneumologie, CHUV, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Dunja Bruder
- Infection Immunology Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Infection Control and Prevention, Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Immune Regulation Group, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Pieter S Hiemstra
- Dept of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Venkataramana Sidhaye
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fariba Rezaee
- Center for Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Children's, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Dept of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Irene H Heijink
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Depts of Pathology and Medical Biology and Pulmonology, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), Groningen, The Netherlands
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Qian Y, Li H, Rosenberg A, Li Q, Sarnat J, Papatheodorou S, Schwartz J, Liang D, Liu Y, Liu P, Shi L. Long-Term Exposure to Low-Level NO2 and Mortality among the Elderly Population in the Southeastern United States. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:127009. [PMID: 34962424 PMCID: PMC8713651 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mounting evidence has shown that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter [PM ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)] and ozone (O3) can increase mortality. However, the health effects associated with long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are less clear, in particular the evidence is scarce for NO2 at low levels that are below the current international guidelines. METHODS We constructed a population-based full cohort comprising all Medicare beneficiaries (aged ≥65, N=13,590,387) in the southeastern United States from 2000 to 2016, and we then further defined the below-guideline cohort that included only those who were always exposed to low-level NO2, that is, with annual means below the current World Health Organization guidelines (i.e., ≤21 ppb). We applied previously estimated spatially and temporally resolved NO2 concentrations and assigned annual means to study participants based on their ZIP code of residence. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between long-term exposure to low-level NO2 and all-cause mortality, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS About 71.1% of the Medicare beneficiaries in the southeastern United States were always exposed to low-level NO2 over the study period. We observed an association between long-term exposure to low-level NO2 and all-cause mortality, with a hazard ratio (HR)= 1.042 (95% CI: 1.040, 1.045) in single-pollutant models and a HR= 1.047 (95% CI: 1.045, 1.049) in multipollutant models (adjusting for PM2.5 and O3), per 10-ppb increase in annual NO2 concentrations. The penalized spline indicates a linear exposure-response relationship across the entire NO2 exposure range. Medicare enrollees who were White, female, and residing in urban areas were more vulnerable to long-term NO2 exposure. CONCLUSION Using a large and representative cohort, we provide epidemiological evidence that long-term exposure to NO2, even below the national and global ambient air quality guidelines, was approximately linearly associated with a higher risk of mortality among older adults, independent of PM2.5 and O3 exposure. Improving air quality by reducing NO2 emissions, therefore, may yield significant health benefits. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9044.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Qian
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Haomin Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrew Rosenberg
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Qiulun Li
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jeremy Sarnat
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stefania Papatheodorou
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Liuhua Shi
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Cappello C, De Iaco S, Palma M. Computational advances for spatio-temporal multivariate environmental models. Comput Stat 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00180-021-01132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn multivariate Geostatistics, the linear coregionalization model (LCM) has been widely used over the last decades, in order to describe the spatial dependence which characterizes two or more variables of interest. However, in spatio-temporal multiple modeling, the identification of the main elements of a space–time linear coregionalization model (ST-LCM), as well as of the latent structures underlying the analyzed phenomenon, represents a tough task. In this paper, some computational advances which support the selection of an ST-LCM are described, gathering all the necessary steps which allow the analyst to easily and properly detect the basic space–time components for the phenomenon under study. The implemented algorithm is applied on space–time air quality data measured in Scotland in 2017.
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Signorini C, Pignatti P, Coccini T. How Do Inflammatory Mediators, Immune Response and Air Pollution Contribute to COVID-19 Disease Severity? A Lesson to Learn. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:182. [PMID: 33669011 PMCID: PMC7996623 DOI: 10.3390/life11030182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory and immune processes are defensive mechanisms that aim to remove harmful agents. As a response to infections, inflammation and immune response contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), whose underlying mechanisms remain not fully elucidated, has posed new challenges for the knowledge of pathophysiology. Chiefly, the inflammatory process and immune response appear to be unique features of COVID-19 that result in developing a hyper-inflammatory syndrome, and air pollution, the world's largest health risk factor, may partly explain the behaviour and fate of COVID-19. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the progression of COVID-19 is of fundamental importance in order to avoid the late stage of the disease, associated with a poor prognosis. Here, the role of the inflammatory and immune mediators in COVID-19 pathophysiology is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Signorini
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pignatti
- Allergy and Immunology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Teresa Coccini
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Toxicology, Pavia Poison Centre, National Toxicology Information Centre, Toxicology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
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Woodby B, Arnold MM, Valacchi G. SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 pathogenesis, and exposure to air pollution: What is the connection? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1486:15-38. [PMID: 33022781 PMCID: PMC7675684 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollutants has been previously associated with respiratory viral infections, including influenza, measles, mumps, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Epidemiological studies have also suggested that air pollution exposure is associated with increased cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-associated mortality, although the molecular mechanisms by which pollutant exposure affects viral infection and pathogenesis of COVID-19 remain unknown. In this review, we suggest potential molecular mechanisms that could account for this association. We have focused on the potential effect of exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), ozone (O3 ), and particulate matter (PM) since there are studies investigating how exposure to these pollutants affects the life cycle of other viruses. We have concluded that pollutant exposure may affect different stages of the viral life cycle, including inhibition of mucociliary clearance, alteration of viral receptors and proteases required for entry, changes to antiviral interferon production and viral replication, changes in viral assembly mediated by autophagy, prevention of uptake by macrophages, and promotion of viral spread by increasing epithelial permeability. We believe that exposure to pollutants skews adaptive immune responses toward bacterial/allergic immune responses, as opposed to antiviral responses. Exposure to air pollutants could also predispose exposed populations toward developing COIVD-19-associated immunopathology, enhancing virus-induced tissue inflammation and damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Woodby
- Animal Science DepartmentPlants for Human Health Institute, N.C. Research Campus, North Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNorth Carolina
| | - Michelle M. Arnold
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyCenter for Molecular and Tumor VirologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterShreveportLouisiana
| | - Giuseppe Valacchi
- Animal Science DepartmentPlants for Human Health Institute, N.C. Research Campus, North Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNorth Carolina
- Department of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyUniversity of FerraraFerraraItaly
- Department of Food and NutritionKyung Hee UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
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Chen J, Shi C, Li Y, Ni H, Zeng J, Lu R, Zhang L. Effects of short-term exposure to ambient airborne pollutants on COPD-related mortality among the elderly residents of Chengdu city in Southwest China. Environ Health Prev Med 2021; 26:7. [PMID: 33435864 PMCID: PMC7805042 DOI: 10.1186/s12199-020-00925-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become a severe global burden in terms of both health and the economy. Few studies, however, have thoroughly assessed the influence of air pollution on COPD-related mortality among elderly people in developing areas in the hinterland of southwestern China. This study is the first to examine the association between short-term exposure to ambient airborne pollutants and COPD-related mortality among elderly people in the central Sichuan Basin of southwestern China. Methods Data on COPD-related mortality among elderly people aged 60 and older were obtained from the Population Death Information Registration and Management System (PDIRMS). Data on airborne pollutants comprised of particulate matter < 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) were derived from 23 municipal environmental monitoring sites. Data on weather conditions, including daily mean temperature and relative humidity, were obtained from the Chengdu Meteorological Bureau. All data were collected from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. A quasi-Poisson general additive model (GAM) was utilized to assess the effects of short-term exposure to airborne pollutants on COPD-related mortality among elderly people. Results A total of 61,058 COPD-related deaths of people aged 60 and older were obtained. Controlling the influences of daily temperature and relative humidity, interquartile range (IQR) concentration increases of PM2.5 (43 μg/m3), SO2 (8 μg/m3), NO2 (18 μg/m3), CO (0.4 mg/m3), and O3 (78 μg/m3) were associated with 2.7% (95% CI 1.0–4.4%), 4.3% (95% CI 2.1–6.4%), 3.6% (95% CI 1.7–5.6%), 2.7% (95% CI 0.6–4.8%), and 7.4% (95% CI 3.6–11.3%) increases in COPD-related mortality in people aged 60 and older, respectively. The exposure-response curves between each pollutant and the log-relative risk of COPD-related mortality exhibited linear relationships. Statistically significant differences in the associations between pollutants and COPD-related mortality were not observed among sociodemographic factors including age, gender, and marital status. The effects of O3 remained steady after adjusting for PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO each time in the two-pollutant models. Conclusions Increased concentrations of ambient airborne pollutants composed of PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3, and CO were significantly and positively associated with COPD-related mortality in the central Sichuan Basin, which is located in the hinterland of southwestern China. The adverse effects of O3 were stable, a finding that should receive more attention. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-020-00925-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Chen
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chunli Shi
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongzhen Ni
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Zeng
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Lu
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
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Liang D, Shi L, Zhao J, Liu P, Sarnat JA, Gao S, Schwartz J, Liu Y, Ebelt ST, Scovronick N, Chang HH. Urban Air Pollution May Enhance COVID-19 Case-Fatality and Mortality Rates in the United States. Innovation (N Y) 2020; 1:100047. [PMID: 32984861 PMCID: PMC7505160 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2020.100047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The novel human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed more than 600,000 lives worldwide, causing tremendous public health, social, and economic damages. Although the risk factors of COVID-19 are still under investigation, environmental factors, such as urban air pollution, may play an important role in increasing population susceptibility to COVID-19 pathogenesis. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional nationwide study using zero-inflated negative binomial models to estimate the association between long-term (2010–2016) county-level exposures to NO2, PM2.5, and O3 and county-level COVID-19 case-fatality and mortality rates in the United States. We used both single- and multi-pollutant models and controlled for spatial trends and a comprehensive set of potential confounders, including state-level test positive rate, county-level health care capacity, phase of epidemic, population mobility, population density, sociodemographics, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, behavioral risk factors, and meteorology. Results From January 22, 2020, to July 17, 2020, 3,659,828 COVID-19 cases and 138,552 deaths were reported in 3,076 US counties, with an overall observed case-fatality rate of 3.8%. County-level average NO2 concentrations were positively associated with both COVID-19 case-fatality rate and mortality rate in single-, bi-, and tri-pollutant models. When adjusted for co-pollutants, per interquartile-range (IQR) increase in NO2 (4.6 ppb), COVID-19 case-fatality rate and mortality rate were associated with an increase of 11.3% (95% CI 4.9%–18.2%) and 16.2% (95% CI 8.7%–24.0%), respectively. We did not observe significant associations between COVID-19 case-fatality rate and long-term exposure to PM2.5 or O3, although per IQR increase in PM2.5 (2.6 μg/m3) was marginally associated, with a 14.9% (95% CI 0.0%–31.9%) increase in COVID-19 mortality rate when adjusted for co-pollutants. Discussion Long-term exposure to NO2, which largely arises from urban combustion sources such as traffic, may enhance susceptibility to severe COVID-19 outcomes, independent of long-term PM2.5 and O3 exposure. The results support targeted public health actions to protect residents from COVID-19 in heavily polluted regions with historically high NO2 levels. Continuation of current efforts to lower traffic emissions and ambient air pollution may be an important component of reducing population-level risk of COVID-19 case fatality and mortality. One of the first US studies on air pollution exposures and COVID-19 death outcomes Urban air pollutants, especially NO2, may enhance population susceptibility to death fromCOVID-19 Reduction in air pollution would have avoided over 14,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US as of July 17, 2020 Public health actions needed to protect populations from COVID-19 in areas with historically high NO2 exposure Expansion of efforts to lower air pollution may reduce population-level risk of COVID-19
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Liuhua Shi
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jingxuan Zhao
- Surveillance and Health Services Research Program, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeremy A Sarnat
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Song Gao
- GeoDS Lab, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Stefanie T Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Noah Scovronick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Liang D, Shi L, Zhao J, Liu P, Schwartz J, Gao S, Sarnat J, Liu Y, Ebelt S, Scovronick N, Chang HH. Urban Air Pollution May Enhance COVID-19 Case-Fatality and Mortality Rates in the United States. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.05.04.20090746. [PMID: 32511493 PMCID: PMC7273261 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.04.20090746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The novel human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed more than 240,000 lives worldwide, causing tremendous public health, social, and economic damages. While the risk factors of COVID-19 are still under investigation, environmental factors, such as urban air pollution, may play an important role in increasing population susceptibility to COVID-19 pathogenesis. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional nationwide study using zero-inflated negative binomial models to estimate the association between long-term (2010-2016) county-level exposures to NO2, PM2.5 and O3 and county-level COVID-19 case-fatality and mortality rates in the US. We used both single and multipollutant models and controlled for spatial trends and a comprehensive set of potential confounders, including state-level test positive rate, county-level healthcare capacity, phase-of-epidemic, population mobility, sociodemographic, socioeconomic status, behavior risk factors, and meteorological factors. RESULTS 1,027,799 COVID-19 cases and 58,489 deaths were reported in 3,122 US counties from January 22, 2020 to April 29, 2020, with an overall observed case-fatality rate of 5.8%. Spatial variations were observed for both COVID-19 death outcomes and long-term ambient air pollutant levels. County-level average NO2 concentrations were positively associated with both COVID-19 case-fatality rate and mortality rate in single-, bi-, and tri-pollutant models (p-values<0.05). Per inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in NO2 (4.6 ppb), COVID-19 case-fatality rate and mortality rate were associated with an increase of 7.1% (95% CI 1.2% to 13.4%) and 11.2% (95% CI 3.4% to 19.5%), respectively. We did not observe significant associations between long-term exposures to PM2.5 or O3 and COVID-19 death outcomes (p-values>0.05), although per IQR increase in PM2.5 (3.4 ug/m3) was marginally associated with 10.8% (95% CI: -1.1% to 24.1%) increase in COVID-19 mortality rate. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to NO2, which largely arises from urban combustion sources such as traffic, may enhance susceptibility to severe COVID-19 outcomes, independent of long-term PM2.5 and O3 exposure. The results support targeted public health actions to protect residents from COVID-19 in heavily polluted regions with historically high NO2 levels. Moreover, continuation of current efforts to lower traffic emissions and ambient air pollution levels may be an important component of reducing population-level risk of COVID-19 deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Liuhua Shi
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jingxuan Zhao
- Surveillance and Health Services Research Program, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Song Gao
- GeoDS Lab, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jeremy Sarnat
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stefanie Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Noah Scovronick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Fussell JC, Kelly FJ. Oxidative contribution of air pollution to extrinsic skin ageing. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 151:111-122. [PMID: 31874249 PMCID: PMC7322554 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
•Epidemiological evidence links exposure to poor air quality to lentigines and wrinkles. •Experimental studies provide mechanistic explanations involving oxidative stress. •Polluted air may hasten skin ageing through indirect systemic effects via the lung and/or direct effects on cutaneous tissue. •Prevention measures would need to combine strategies that target both ‘routes’. •Air pollution is one of several environmental stressors that combined, may have additive/synergistic effects on the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Fussell
- NIHR Health Impact of Environmental Hazards HPRU, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK.
| | - Frank J Kelly
- NIHR Health Impact of Environmental Hazards HPRU, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK
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Glencross DA, Ho TR, Camiña N, Hawrylowicz CM, Pfeffer PE. Air pollution and its effects on the immune system. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 151:56-68. [PMID: 32007522 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.01.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 269] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A well-functioning immune system is vital for a healthy body. Inadequate and excessive immune responses underlie diverse pathologies such as serious infections, metastatic malignancies and auto-immune conditions. Therefore, understanding the effects of ambient pollutants on the immune system is vital to understanding how pollution causes disease, and how that pathology could be abrogated. The immune system itself consists of multiple types of immune cell that act together to generate (or fail to generate) immune responses and in this article we review evidence of how air pollutants can affect different immune cell types such as particle-clearing macrophages, inflammatory neutrophils, dendritic cells that orchestrate adaptive immune responses and lymphocytes that enact those responses. Common themes that emerge are of the capacity of air pollutants to stimulate pro-inflammatory immune responses across multiple classes of immune cell. Air pollution can enhance T helper lymphocyte type 2 (Th2) and T helper lymphocyte type 17 (Th17) adaptive immune responses, as seen in allergy and asthma, and dysregulate anti-viral immune responses. The clinical effects of air pollution, in particular the known association between elevated ambient pollution and exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are consistent with these identified immunological mechanisms. Further to this, as inhaled air pollution deposits primarily on the respiratory mucosa this review focuses on mechanisms of respiratory disease. However, as discussed in the article, air pollution also affects the wider immune system for example in the neonate and gastrointestinal tract. Whilst the many identified actions of air pollution on the immune system are notably diverse, immunological research does suggest potential strategies to ameliorate such effects, for example with vitamin D supplementation. An in-depth understanding of the immunological effects of ambient pollutants should hopefully yield new ideas on how to reduce the adverse health effects of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew A Glencross
- Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, Franklin Wilkins Building, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Tzer-Ren Ho
- Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, Franklin Wilkins Building, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Nuria Camiña
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, Franklin Wilkins Building, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Catherine M Hawrylowicz
- Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| | - Paul E Pfeffer
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
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16
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A variety of processes that affect the perception of skin aging. CURRENT ISSUES IN PHARMACY AND MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.2478/cipms-2019-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most important factors affecting perceived age. Aging is an unavoidable and irreversible process, but perceived age is a modifiable psychosocial factor. Our exterior has become one of the determinants of our social position, the key to success in our professional and personal lives. Today, we see people through their appearance, we judge after the first impression. With the help of aesthetic medicine, we can change the perceived age, but we cannot stop aging. This article discusses factors affecting the perceived age, such as hair color, skin color, general appearance and environmental factors. Many cannot be avoided, but we can make changes in life to look younger and more well-groomed. Indeed, we can change our habits for the benefit of the whole body, not only for the skin.
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Chen J, Jiang X, Shi C, Liu R, Lu R, Zhang L. Association between gaseous pollutants and emergency ambulance dispatches for asthma in Chengdu, China: a time-stratified case-crossover study. Environ Health Prev Med 2019; 24:20. [PMID: 30885130 PMCID: PMC6421698 DOI: 10.1186/s12199-019-0773-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The association between concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), and emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) for asthma was explored in the central Sichuan Basin of southwestern China for the first time. Methods EADs for asthma were collected from the Chengdu First-Aid Command Center. Pollutant concentrations were collected from 24 municipal environmental monitoring centers and including SO2, NO2, CO, daily 8-h mean concentrations of O3 (O3-8 h), and particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5). The climatic data were collected from the Chengdu Municipal Meteorological Bureau. All data were collected from years spanning 2013–2017. A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze the data. Results After controlling for temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure, IQR increases in SO2 (13 μg/m3), NO2 (17 μg/m3), and CO (498 μg/m3) were associated with 18.8%, 11.5%, and 3.1% increases in EADs for asthma, respectively. The associations were strongest for EADs and SO2, NO2, and CO levels with 3-, 5-, and 1-day lags, respectively. Conclusions This study provides additional data to the limited body of literature for potential health risks arising from ambient gaseous pollutants. The results of the study suggest that increased concentrations of SO2, NO2, and CO were positively associated with emergency ambulance dispatches for asthma in Chengdu, China. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of individual air pollutants on asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Chen
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Xianyan Jiang
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chunli Shi
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ruicong Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rong Lu
- Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.6, Zhongxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Pfeffer PE, Donaldson GC, Mackay AJ, Wedzicha JA. Increased Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations of Likely Viral Etiology Follow Elevated Ambient Nitrogen Oxides. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019; 199:581-591. [DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201712-2506oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Pfeffer
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; and
| | - Gavin C. Donaldson
- Respiratory Division, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J. Mackay
- Respiratory Division, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jadwiga A. Wedzicha
- Respiratory Division, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Gaffin JM, Hauptman M, Petty CR, Sheehan WJ, Lai PS, Wolfson JM, Gold DR, Coull BA, Koutrakis P, Phipatanakul W. Nitrogen dioxide exposure in school classrooms of inner-city children with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018; 141:2249-2255.e2. [PMID: 28988796 PMCID: PMC5886827 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ambient and home exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) causes asthma symptoms and decreased lung function in children with asthma. Little is known about the health effects of school classroom pollution exposure. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the effect of indoor classroom NO2 on lung function and symptoms in inner-city school children with asthma. METHODS Children enrolled in the School Inner-City Asthma Study were followed for 1 academic year. Subjects performed spirometry and had fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values measured twice during the school year at school. Classroom NO2 was collected by means of passive sampling for 1-week periods twice per year, coinciding with lung function testing. Generalized estimating equation models assessed lung function and symptom relationships with the temporally nearest classroom NO2 level. RESULTS The mean NO2 value was 11.1 ppb (range, 4.3-29.7 ppb). In total, exposure data were available for 296 subjects, 188 of whom had complete spirometric data. At greater than a threshold of 8 ppb of NO2 and after adjusting for race and season (spirometry standardized by age, height, and sex), NO2 levels were associated highly with airflow obstruction, such that each 10-ppb increase in NO2 level was associated with a 5% decrease in FEV1/forced vital capacity ratio (β = -0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.02; P = .01). Percent predicted forced expiratory flow between the 25th and 75th percentile of forced vital capacity was also inversely associated with higher NO2 exposure (β = -22.8; 95% CI, -36.0 to -9.7; P = .01). There was no significant association of NO2 levels with percent predicted FEV1, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide, or asthma symptoms. Additionally, there was no effect modification of atopy on lung function or symptom outcomes. CONCLUSION In children with asthma, indoor classroom NO2 levels can be associated with increased airflow obstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Gaffin
- Division of Respiratory Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
| | - Marissa Hauptman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Carter R Petty
- Clinical Research Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - William J Sheehan
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Peggy S Lai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass
| | - Jack M Wolfson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass
| | - Diane R Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; Channing Institute of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass
| | - Wanda Phipatanakul
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
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20
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Mirowsky JE, Dailey LA, Devlin RB. Differential expression of pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators induced by nitrogen dioxide and ozone in primary human bronchial epithelial cells. Inhal Toxicol 2017; 28:374-82. [PMID: 27206323 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2016.1185199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT NO2 and O3 are ubiquitous air toxicants capable of inducing lung damage to the respiratory epithelium. Due to their oxidizing capabilities, these pollutants have been proposed to target specific biological pathways, but few publications have compared the pathways activated. OBJECTIVE This work will test the premise that NO2 and O3 induce toxicity by activating similar cellular pathways. METHODS Primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs, n = 3 donors) were exposed for 2 h at an air-liquid interface to 3 ppm NO2, 0.75 ppm O3, or filtered air and harvested 1 h post-exposure. To give an overview of pathways that may be influenced by each exposure, gene expression was measured using PCR arrays for toxicity and oxidative stress. Based on the results, genes were selected to quantify whether expression changes were changed in a dose- and time-response manner using NO2 (1, 2, 3, or 5 ppm), O3 (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1.00 ppm), or filtered air and harvesting 0, 1, 4 and 24 h post-exposure. RESULTS Using the arrays, genes related to oxidative stress were highly induced with NO2 while expression of pro-inflammatory and vascular function genes was found subsequent to O3. NO2 elicited the greatest HMOX1 response, whereas O3 more greatly induced IL-6, IL-8 and PTGS2 expression. Additionally, O3 elicited a greater response 1 h post-exposure and NO2 produced a maximal response after 4 h. CONCLUSION We have demonstrated that these two oxidant gases stimulate differing mechanistic responses in vitro and these responses occur at dissimilar times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime E Mirowsky
- a Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine , Chapel Hill , NC , USA .,b Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine , Chapel Hill , NC , USA
| | - Lisa A Dailey
- c Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency , Chapel Hill , NC , USA
| | - Robert B Devlin
- c Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency , Chapel Hill , NC , USA
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Hüls A, Vierkötter A, Gao W, Krämer U, Yang Y, Ding A, Stolz S, Matsui M, Kan H, Wang S, Jin L, Krutmann J, Schikowski T. Traffic-Related Air Pollution Contributes to Development of Facial Lentigines: Further Epidemiological Evidence from Caucasians and Asians. J Invest Dermatol 2016; 136:1053-1056. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2015.12.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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22
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Chang ALS. Expanding Our Understanding of Human Skin Aging. J Invest Dermatol 2016; 136:897-899. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Tissue heme oxygenase-1 exerts anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation. Mucosal Immunol 2016; 9:98-111. [PMID: 25943274 DOI: 10.1038/mi.2015.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been shown to display anti-inflammatory properties in models of acute pulmonary inflammation. For the first time, we investigated the role of leukocytic HO-1 using a model of HO-1(flox/flox) mice lacking leukocytic HO-1 that were subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute pulmonary inflammation. Immunohistology and flow cytometry demonstrated that activation of HO-1 using hemin decreased migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to the lung interstitium and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the wild-type and, surprisingly, also in HO-1(flox/flox) mice, emphasizing the anti-inflammatory potential of nonmyeloid HO-1. Nevertheless, hemin reduced the CXCL1, CXCL2/3, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and interleukin 6 (IL6) levels in both animal strains. Microvascular permeability was attenuated by hemin in wild-type and HO-1(flox/flox) mice, indicating a crucial role of non-myeloid HO-1 in endothelial integrity. The determination of the activity of HO-1 in mouse lungs revealed no compensatory increase in the HO-1(flox/flox) mice. Topical administration of hemin via inhalation reduced the dose required to attenuate PMN migration and microvascular permeability by a factor of 40, emphasizing its clinical potential. In addition, HO-1 stimulation was protective against pulmonary inflammation when initiated after the inflammatory stimulus. In conclusion, nonmyeloid HO-1 is crucial for the anti-inflammatory effect of this enzyme on PMN migration to different compartments of the lung and on microvascular permeability.
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Hawley B, L'Orange C, Olsen DB, Marchese AJ, Volckens J. Oxidative stress and aromatic hydrocarbon response of human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to petro- or biodiesel exhaust treated with a diesel particulate filter. Toxicol Sci 2014; 141:505-14. [PMID: 25061111 PMCID: PMC4833025 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfu147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition of diesel exhaust has changed over the past decade due to the increased use of alternative fuels, like biodiesel, and to new regulations on diesel engine emissions. Given the changing nature of diesel fuels and diesel exhaust emissions, a need exists to understand the human health implications of switching to "cleaner" diesel engines run with particulate filters and engines run on alternative fuels like biodiesel. We exposed well-differentiated normal human bronchial epithelial cells to fresh, complete exhaust from a diesel engine run (1) with and without a diesel particulate filter and (2) using either traditional petro- or alternative biodiesel. Despite the lowered emissions in filter-treated exhaust (a 91-96% reduction in mass), significant increases in transcripts associated with oxidative stress and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon response were observed in all exposure groups and were not significantly different between exposure groups. Our results suggest that biodiesel and filter-treated diesel exhaust elicits as great, or greater a cellular response as unfiltered, traditional petrodiesel exhaust in a representative model of the bronchial epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brie Hawley
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Christian L'Orange
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Dan B Olsen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Anthony J Marchese
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - John Volckens
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
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Koehler C, Thielen S, Ginzkey C, Hackenberg S, Scherzed A, Burghartz M, Paulus M, Hagen R, Kleinsasser NH. Nitrogen dioxide is genotoxic in urban concentrations. Inhal Toxicol 2013; 25:341-7. [PMID: 23701639 DOI: 10.3109/08958378.2013.788104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In the discussion on toxic and genotoxic thresholds of air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), realistically low urban concentration ranges are of major interest. For NO2, the WHO defines the annual limit value as corresponding to 0.02 ppm. In the present study, the toxicity and genotoxicity of NO2 is set at a concentration under this limit value and examined in human nasal epithelium at different exposure durations in vitro. Nasal epithelial mucosa samples of 10 donors were harvested during nasal air passage surgery and cultured as an air-liquid interface. Exposure to 0.01 ppm NO2 or synthetic air as a control was performed for 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 h. Analysis included the caspase-3 ELISA, the single cell microgel electrophoresis (comet) assay and the micronucleus assay. The caspase-3 activity was not influenced by NO2 exposure, DNA strand fragmentation correlated with exposure durations to NO2 at 0.01 ppm NO2, and no cytotoxic effects such as apoptosis, necrosis or disturbances of cell proliferation were present. However, micronucleus induction as a sign of genotoxicity at an exposure duration of 3 h could be shown. Shorter exposures did not induce micronucleus formation. In summary, genotoxicity of NO2 could be demonstrated at a common urban concentration in vitro, but a threshold of NO2 genotoxicity could not be defined based on the present experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Koehler
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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26
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Tsukue N, Kato A, Ito T, Sugiyama G, Nakajima T. Acute effects of diesel emission from the urea selective catalytic reduction engine system on male rats. Inhal Toxicol 2010; 22:309-20. [PMID: 20064079 DOI: 10.3109/08958370903307652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Short-term inhalation experiments were performed using Fischer 344 rats exposed to emission from the urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) diesel engine system to identify health effects and compare them to those of the conventional diesel engine system. Rats were exposed to high-, middle-, or low-concentration emission (dilution ratio 1:29, 1:290, or 1:580) or clean air (control) for 1, 3, or 7 days (6 h/day), under driving conditions at a speed of 1320 rpm and a torque of 840 Nm. For the high-concentration group, the major components of the urea SCR emission were 0.04 mg/m(3) particulate matter (PM) and 0.78 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)); those of the conventional emission were 0.95 mg/m(3) PM and 0.31 ppm NO(2). The authors evaluated the respiratory effects of each emission on rats. Lymphocytes for 3-day exposure of both emissions significantly increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, but there were slight differences. With an increase in potential antioxidant (PAO), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine for the urea SCR emission was significantly decreased, but that of the conventional emission was highest among all groups and did not show a response to PAO. In lungs, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA expressions for the urea SCR emission showed a tendency to increase compared to those of the conventional emission. Thus, gene analysis results suggested that NO(2) from the urea SCR emission affected the expressions of mRNAs in lungs. However, as a whole, the results suggested that the health effects of the urea SCR emission might be less than the conventional emission on rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Tsukue
- Health Effects Research Group, Japan Automobile Research Institute, Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki, Japan.
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Toxicological evaluation of diesel emissions on A549 cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2010; 24:363-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2009.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2009] [Revised: 10/09/2009] [Accepted: 11/04/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Ather JL, Alcorn JF, Brown AL, Guala AS, Suratt BT, Janssen-Heininger YMW, Poynter ME. Distinct functions of airway epithelial nuclear factor-kappaB activity regulate nitrogen dioxide-induced acute lung injury. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2009; 43:443-51. [PMID: 19901348 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2008-0416oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxidants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) injure the pulmonary epithelium, causing airway damage and inflammation. We previously demonstrated that nuclear factor-κ B (NF-κB) activation within airway epithelial cells occurs in response to NO(2) inhalation, and is critical for lipopolysaccharide-induced or antigen-induced inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated whether manipulation of NF-κB activity in lung epithelium affected severe lung injuries induced by NO(2) inhalation. Wild-type C57BL/6J, CC10-IκBα(SR) transgenic mice with repressed airway epithelial NF-κB function, or transgenic mice expressing a doxycycline-inducible, constitutively active I κ B kinase β (CC10-rTet-(CA)IKKβ) with augmented NF-κB function in airway epithelium, were exposed to toxic levels of 25 ppm or 50 ppm NO(2) for 6 hours a day for 1 or 3 days. In wild-type mice, NO(2) caused the activation of NF-κB in airway epithelium after 6 hours, and after 3 days resulted in severe acute lung injury, characterized by neutrophilia, peribronchiolar lesions, and increased protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and inflammatory cytokines. Compared with wild-type mice, neutrophilic inflammation and elastase activity, lung injury, and several proinflammatory cytokines were significantly suppressed in CC10-IκBα(SR) mice exposed to 25 or 50 ppm NO(2). Paradoxically, CC10-rTet-(CA)IKKβ mice that received doxycycline showed no further increase in NO(2)-induced lung injury compared with wild-type mice exposed to NO(2), instead displaying significant reductions in histologic parameters of lung injury, despite elevations in several proinflammatory cytokines. These intriguing findings demonstrate distinct functions of airway epithelial NF-κB activities in oxidant-induced severe acute lung injury, and suggest that although airway epithelial NF-κB activities modulate NO(2)-induced pulmonary inflammation, additional NF-κB-regulated functions confer partial protection from lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Ather
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
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Kaplan GG, Dixon E, Panaccione R, Fong A, Chen L, Szyszkowicz M, Wheeler A, MacLean A, Buie WD, Leung T, Heitman SJ, Villeneuve PJ. Effect of ambient air pollution on the incidence of appendicitis. CMAJ 2009; 181:591-7. [PMID: 19805497 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.082068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of appendicitis is unclear. We evaluated whether exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased incidence of appendicitis. METHODS We identified 5191 adults who had been admitted to hospital with appendicitis between Apr. 1, 1999, and Dec. 31, 2006. The air pollutants studied were ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and suspended particulate matter of less than 10 micro and less than 2.5 micro in diameter. We estimated the odds of appendicitis relative to short-term increases in concentrations of selected pollutants, alone and in combination, after controlling for temperature and relative humidity as well as the effects of age, sex and season. RESULTS An increase in the interquartile range of the 5-day average of ozone was associated with appendicitis (odds ratio [OR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.25). In summer (July-August), the effects were most pronounced for ozone (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10-1.57), sulfur dioxide (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.63), nitrogen dioxide (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.20-2.58), carbon monoxide (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.01-1.80) and particulate matter less than 10 micro in diameter (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.38). We observed a significant effect of the air pollutants in the summer months among men but not among women (e.g., OR for increase in the 5-day average of nitrogen dioxide 2.05, 95% CI 1.21-3.47, among men and 1.48, 95% CI 0.85-2.59, among women). The double-pollutant model of exposure to ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the summer months was associated with attenuation of the effects of ozone (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01-1.48) and nitrogen dioxide (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.97-2.24). INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that some cases of appendicitis may be triggered by short-term exposure to air pollution. If these findings are confirmed, measures to improve air quality may help to decrease rates of appendicitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilaad G Kaplan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Teaching Research and Wellness Center, Calgary, Alta.
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Min KB, Min JY, Cho SI, Paek D. The relationship between air pollutants and heart-rate variability among community residents in Korea. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 20:435-44. [PMID: 18302051 DOI: 10.1080/08958370801903834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Air pollution, both particulate and gaseous, is known to cause adverse health effects and is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. With a growing recognition in the importance of the autonomic nervous system in air pollution, we examined the effects of air pollutants, namely, particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitric dioxide (NO2), on cardiac autonomic function by measuring heart-rate variability (HRV) among community residents. This study was conducted at Taein Island, located off the southern coast of South Korea; 1349 subjects (596 males and 753 females) were included in this analysis. Subjects responded to the interview about general characteristics and an HRV examination was conducted. Exposure data were collected from the Environmental Management Corporation during the same period of HRV measurement. Linear regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the association over 72 h, and the parameters of HRV indices were presented as the percentage change. The exposures to PM(10), SO(2), and NO2 were associated with reduced HRV indices, and significant decreases in the standard deviation of the normal to normal interval (SDNN) and low frequency (LF) domain effect, and the effect was largely continued until 12 h. Our results suggest that air pollutants stimulate the autonomic nervous system and provoke an imbalance in cardiac autonomic control. Thus, these subclinical effects may lead to pathological consequences, particularly in high-risk patients and susceptible subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Bok Min
- School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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31
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Brook JR, Burnett RT, Dann TF, Cakmak S, Goldberg MS, Fan X, Wheeler AJ. Further interpretation of the acute effect of nitrogen dioxide observed in Canadian time-series studies. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2007; 17 Suppl 2:S36-44. [PMID: 18079763 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jes.7500626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, the pooled NO2 association with nonaccidental mortality is examined across 10 cities in Canada in single- and two-pollutant time-series models. The results reaffirm that NO2 has the strongest association with mortality, particularly in the warm season. Although attributing such effects to NO2 cannot be ruled out, it is plausible that NO2 is acting as an indicator for some other exposure affecting the population. This could include PM2.5, as has been suggested from some personal exposure data, but it could also be indicating a more specific type of PM2.5, such as traffic-related particles, given that in cities the main source of NO2 is motor vehicle exhaust. NO2 could also be acting as a surrogate for other pollutant(s) originating from motor vehicles or high-temperature combustion, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Another possibility is other oxidized nitrogen species ("NO(z)") or photochemically produced pollutants that can co-vary with NO2, especially during urban stagnation events. Data to test these different possibilities across several Canadian cities are examined. The focus is on correlations in time or space between NO2 and other pollutants that are more strongly linked to vehicle emissions. The results support the hypothesis that NO2 is a better indicator than PM2.5 of a range of other toxic pollutants. This includes VOCs, aldehydes, NO(z) and particle-bound organics in motor vehicle exhaust. Thus, overall, the strong effect of NO2 in Canadian cities could be a result of it being the best indicator, among the pollutants monitored, of fresh combustion (likely motor vehicles) as well as photochemically processed urban air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Brook
- Air Quality Research Division, Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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