Evaluation of Biological Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Aerosol

—with Special Emphasis on the Immune Cells—

Abstract

This paper reviews the effects of chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, which are major chemical components in particulate matter (PM), on immune cells. First, we introduce some biomarkers for the health effects of PM. We also show that cytotoxicity and/or inflammatory responses were induced by some PAH derivatives containing hydroxyl, carbonyl, nitro, or amino groups, indicating that the toxicological and inflammatory effects of chemicals may be related to their structures, such as functional group and isomer.