Aggravation of ovalbumin-induced murine asthma by co-exposure to desert-dust and organic chemicals: an animal model study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The organic chemicals present in Asian sand dust (ASD) might contribute to the aggravation of lung eosinophila. Therefore, the aggravating effects of the Tar fraction from ASD on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung eosinophilia were investigated.

METHODS:

The Tar fraction was extracted from ASD collected from the atmosphere in Fukuoka, Japan. ASD collected from the Gobi desert was heated at 360°C to inactivate toxic organic substances (H-ASD). ICR mice were instilled intratracheally with 12 different test samples prepared with Tar (1 μg and 5 μg), H-ASD, and OVA in a normal saline solution containing 0.02% Tween 80. The lung pathology, cytological profiles in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in BALF and OVA-specific immunoglobulin in serum were investigated.

RESULTS:

Several kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in the Tar sample. H-ASD + Tar 5 μg induced slight neutrophilic lung inflammation. In the presence of OVA, Tar 5 μg increased the level of eosinophils slightly and induced trace levels of Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF. Also mild to moderate goblet cell proliferation and mild infiltration of eosinophils in the submucosa of airway were observed. These pathological changes caused by H-ASD + OVA were relatively small. However, in the presence of OVA and H-ASD, Tar, at as low a level as 1 μg, induced severe eosinophil infiltration and proliferation of goblet cells in the airways and significantly increased Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF. The mixture showed an adjuvant effect on OVA-specific IgG1 production.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results indicate that H-ASD with even low levels of Tar exacerbates OVA-induced lung eosinophilia via increases of Th2-mediated cytokines. These results suggest that ASD-bound PAHs might contribute to the aggravation of lung eosinophila.

• Authors: Yahao Ren, Takamichi Ichinose, Miao He, Keiichi Arashidani, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Seiichi Yoshida, Masataka Nishikawa, Hirohisa Takano, Guifan Sun, Takayuki Shibamoto
• Journal: Environmental health : a global access science source (Environ Health) Vol. 13 Pg. 83 (Oct 18 2014) ISSN: 1476-069X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25326908 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Air Pollutants
• Dust
• Tars
• Ovalbumin

Topics

• Air Pollutants (toxicity)
• Animals
• Asthma (chemically induced, pathology)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Dust (analysis)
• Lung (drug effects, pathology, physiopathology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Ovalbumin (toxicity)
• Pulmonary Eosinophilia (chemically induced, pathology, physiopathology)
• Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
• Tars (toxicity)