title: The role of a mitochondrial pathway in the induction of apoptosis by chemicals extracted from diesel exhaust particles.
abstract: We are interested in the cytotoxic and proinflammatory effects of particulate pollutants in the respiratory tract. We demonstrate that methanol extracts made from diesel exhaust particles (DEP) induce apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pulmonary alveolar macrophages and RAW 264.7 cells. The toxicity of these organic extracts mimics the cytotoxicity of the intact particles and could be suppressed by the synthetic sulfhydryl compounds, N-acetylcysteine and bucillamine. Because DEP-induced apoptosis follows cytochrome c release, we studied the effect of DEP chemicals on mitochondrially regulated death mechanisms. Crude DEP extracts induced ROS production and perturbed mitochondrial function before and at the onset of apoptosis. This mitochondrial perturbation follows an orderly sequence of events, which commence with a change in mitochondrial membrane potential, followed by cytochrome c release, development of membrane asymmetry (annexin V staining), and propidium iodide uptake. Structural damage to the mitochondrial inner membrane, evidenced by a decrease in cardiolipin mass, leads to O-*2 generation and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation (decreased intracellular ATP levels). N-acetylcysteine reversed these mitochondrial effects and ROS production. Overexpression of the mitochondrial apoptosis regulator, Bcl-2, delayed but did not suppress apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that DEP chemicals induce apoptosis in macrophages via a toxic effect on mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of California Medical School, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Hiura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Seagrave
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nel
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity; D015054:Zymosan / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000975:Antioxidants; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D015054:Zymosan