異なる種類の環境中微粒子による肺炎症の誘発と増悪の比較研究

抄録

Environmental particles are a growing threat to public health, and several studies point to their ability to induce and enhance lung inflammation. Research has also indicated certain particle traits related to lung inflammation. However, due to the complexity of environmental particle composition, studies addressing differences in how distinct particles with unique properties induce and exacerbate lung inflammation are inadequate. Thus, we aimed to investigate what particle properties induce and enhance lung inflammation using three different types of particles: diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), which contain elemental carbon, organic chemicals, and heavy metals; TiO2, which consists of pure inorganic crystalline particles; and Asian sand dust particles (ASD), which contain quartz particles, microorganisms, and allergenic components. We analyzed various acute and allergic inflammatory markers and observed histologically stained lung sections after four intratracheal administrations of particle-only or particle + ovalbumin (OVA) suspensions every two weeks in a mouse model. Our findings revealed significant acute inflammation in TiO2, ASD, and all particle + OVA groups 24 hours after the first administration. Besides, we observed that allergy indicators increased in all particle + OVA groups after four administrations, indicating a progressive tendency. Thus, the effects of three types of particles on lung inflammation were successfully shown to differ.