Inhalation of concentrated ambient particulate matter near a heavily trafficked road stimulates antigen-induced airway responses in mice

J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2005 Sep;55(9):1277-88. doi: 10.1080/10473289.2005.10464727.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to test the following hypotheses: (1) exposure to mobile emissions from mobile sources close to a heavily trafficked roadway will exacerbate airway inflammation and allergic airway responses in a sensitized mouse model, and (2) the magnitude of allergic airway disease responses will decrease with increasing distance from the roadway. A particle concentrator and a mobile exposure facility were used to expose ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized BALB/c mice to purified air and concentrated fine and concentrated ultrafine ambient particles at 50 m and 150 m downwind from a roadway that was heavily impacted by emissions from heavy duty diesel-powered vehicles. After exposure, we assessed interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, OVA-specific immunoglobulin E, OVA-specific immunoglobulin G1, and eosinophil influx as biomarkers of allergic responses and numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes as a marker of inflammation. The study was performed over a two-year period, and there were differences in the concentrations and compositions of ambient particulate matter across those years that could have influenced our results. However, averaged over the two-year period, exposure to concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) increased the biomarkers associated with airway allergies (IL-5, immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G1 and eosinophils). In addition, mice exposed to CAPs 50 m downwind of the roadway had, on the average, greater allergic responses and showed greater indications of inflammation than did mice exposed to CAPs 150 m downwind. This study is consistent with the hypothesis that exposure to CAPs close to a heavily trafficked roadway influenced allergic airway responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / chemistry
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • California
  • Eosinophils / cytology
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Inhalation Exposure
  • Interleukin-13 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-5 / biosynthesis
  • Los Angeles
  • Lung / drug effects*
  • Lung / immunology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neutrophils / cytology
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Respiratory Hypersensitivity / chemically induced*
  • Respiratory Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Vehicle Emissions / toxicity*

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-5
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Ovalbumin