Immunological effect of PM2.5 on cytokine production in female Wistar rats / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the immunological effect of PM2.5 on cytokine production in female Wistar rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Female Wistar rats were given 0.3 mg, 0.75 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg of PM2.5 per 0.5 mL saline, respectively. Saline was used as the negative control. TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in the branchoalveolar lavage were measured by ELISA, and mRNA expression levels in lung tissue were detected by RT-PCR. Alveolar macrophages were collected for testing phogacytic function.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Exposure to PM2.5 stimulated TNF-alpha production in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), However, no statistically significant difference was found. No time-dependent change in TNF-a and IL-6 production was found. TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expressions were induced by PM2.5-exposure. The phagocytic rate (PR) was significantly decreased by PM2.5 treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PM2.5 exposure increases inflammation response of the lung in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, tissue injury induced by PM2.5 may be related to altered production of cytokines. PMz2.5 may impair the phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages.</p>