Abstract
Backgroud: Evidences demonstrate that gestational and postnatal exposure to ambient particulate pollution (PM) adversely affects respiratory health of normal individuals. However, little information about these effects in individuals with a preexisting or predisposition to a disease is available. Aim: Determine whether gestational and/or postnatal exposure to PM influences pulmonary vascular response in a mouse model susceptible to atherosclerosis. Methods: LDLr-/- mice were exposed during the pregnancy to either filter or polluted air. After weaning period, pups were subdivided and 4 groups (GR) according to gestational and continuous or not postnatal exposure to PM. Reaching 120 days of age, the hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) was introduced and a total of 8 groups were formed. The following parameters were analyzed: Cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), dosage of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in the liver and pulmonary signs of endothelial dysfunction by immunohistochemistry. Results: Animals that received HCD presented higher levels of TC and TG (p=0.02) when compared to those animals that received normal diet. IL-6 expression was increased in the BALF of the groups exposed to AF and that received HCD (p=0.01). Significant differences were observed in the protein expression of endothelin (p=0.05); ENOS (p=0.04); IL1β (p=0.005); INOS (p=0.002); ISOP(p=0.001); NOX2 (p=0.01) and ICAM (0.04) in the lung blood vessels, with lower expression in the group HCD+PM.Total lung volume was increased in animals receiving HCD. Conclusion: In this model, no significant effects of PM exposure on lung vascular response were observed in adult (LDLr-/-) mice.
- © 2014 ERS
