A role for associated transition metals in the immunotoxicity of inhaled ambient particulate matter.
Open Access
- 1 October 2002
- journal article
- Published by Environmental Health Perspectives in Environmental Health Perspectives
- Vol. 110 (suppl 5), 871-875
- https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.02110s5871
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies demonstrate that infection, specifically pneumonia, contributes substantially to the increased morbidity and mortality among elderly individuals following exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM). This laboratory has previously demonstrated that a single inhalation exposure of Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected rats to concentrated ambient PM(2.5) (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < or =2.5 microm) from New York City (NYC) air exacerbates the infection process and alters pulmonary and systemic immunity. Although these results provide some basis for explaining the epidemiologic findings, the identity of specific PM constituents that might have been responsible for the worsening pneumonia in exposed hosts remains unclear. Thus, studies were performed to correlate the physicochemical attributes of ambient PM(2.5) with its in vivo immunotoxicity to identify and characterize the role of constitutive transition metals in exacerbating an ongoing streptococcal infection. Uninfected or previously infected rats were exposed in the laboratory to soluble divalent Fe, Mn, or Ni chloride salts. After exposure, uninfected rats were sacrificed and their lungs were lavaged. Lungs from infected hosts were used to evaluate changes in bacterial clearance and effects of exposure on the extent/severity of infection. Results demonstrated that inhalation of Fe altered innate and adaptive immunity in uninfected hosts, and both Fe and Ni reduced pulmonary bacterial clearance in previously infected rats. The effects on clearance produced in infected Fe-exposed rats were similar to those seen in infected rats exposed to ambient NYC PM. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that inhaled ambient PM can worsen the outcome of an ongoing pulmonary infection and that associated Fe may play some role in the immunotoxicity.Keywords
This publication has 42 references indexed in Scilit:
- OZONE DIFFERENTIALLY MODULATES AIRWAY RESPONSIVENESS IN ATOPIC VERSUS NONATOPIC GUINEA PIGSInhalation Toxicology, 2002
- Ozone-Induced Modulation of Cell-Mediated Immune Responses in the LungsToxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2001
- A CENTRIFUGAL PARTICLE CONCENTRATOR FOR USE IN INHALATION TOXICOLOGYInhalation Toxicology, 1999
- Pulmonary Responses to Oil Fly Ash Particles in the Rat Differ by Virtue of Their Specific Soluble Metals,Toxicological Sciences, 1998
- SOLUBLE TRANSITION METALS MEDIATE RESIDUAL OIL FLY ASH INDUCED ACUTE LUNG INJURYJournal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 1997
- Vanadium Affects Macrophage Interferon-γ-Binding and -Inducible ResponsesToxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 1996
- Epidemiological studies of the respiratory effects of air pollutionEuropean Respiratory Journal, 1996
- Iron Augments Macrophage-Mediated Killing of Brucella abortus Alone and in Conjunction with Interferon-γCellular Immunology, 1993
- The effects of intratracheally administered coarse mode particles on respiratory tract infection in miceToxicology Letters, 1983
- Effects of nickel dust on rabbit alveolar epitheliumEnvironmental Research, 1980