Lung oxidative stress by exposure to air pollution particles

EVELSON, P.; MARTIN, S.; MANDALUNIS, P.; DAWIDOWSKI L.; TASAT, D.

Aguas de Lindoia, San Pablo, Brasil.

Congreso; IV Meeting of the South American Group of the Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine; 2005

South American Group of the Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine

There is an increasing interest in the study of the health effects of particulate matter (PM), a constituent of urban air pollution. Several studies suggest that oxidative stress may be involved in the mechanism of disease initiation and progression following exposure to these particles. In the present study we studied the occurrence of oxidative stress in the lung by exposure to Buenos Aires (BA) air pollution particles. Their composition and morphology was also evaluated. The occurrence of oxidative stress was assayed using total antioxidant potential (TRAP), glutathione levels (GSH), thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), and tert-butyl hydroperoxide-initiated chemiluminescence (CL) as end points. PM analysis showed that no transition metals were present in BA. BA were spherical and smaller than model particles like ROFA (Residual oil fly ashes). Morphology studies showed an inflammatory response. Regarding the oxidative stress markers BA increased CL by 60 % (control value: 3500 ± 300 cpm/ mg prot) and TBARS by 55% (control value: 12.5 ± 1.3 pmol TBARS/ mg prot). TRAP and GSH values showed no changes in both groups when compared to the control animals (TRAP: 2.46 ± 0.46 nmol Trolox /mg prot; GSH: 3.74 ± 0.56 nmol/ mg prot). In conclusion, the present study showed that BA induced an inflammatory response with the generation of oxidant species, suggesting the occurrence of oxidative stress.