Immunotoxicity and environment: immunodysregulation and systemic inflammation in children.
Environmental pollutants, chemicals, and drugs have an impact on children's immune system development. Mexico City (MC) children exposed to significant concentrations of air pollutants exhibit chronic respiratory inflammation, systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive deficits. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to severe air pollution plays a role in the immune responses of asymptomatic, apparently healthy children. Blood measurements for markers of immune function, inflammatory mediators, and molecules interacting with the lipopolysaccharide recognition complex were obtained from two cohorts of matched children (aged 9.7 +/- 1.2 years) from southwest Mexico City (SWMC) (n = 66) and from a control city (n = 93) with criteria pollutant levels below current standards. MC children exhibited significant decreases in the numbers of natural killer cells (p = .003) and increased numbers of mCD14+ monocytes (p < .001) and CD8+ cells (p = .02). Lower concentrations of interferon gamma (p = .009) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (p < .001), an endotoxin tolerance-like state, systemic inflammation, and an anti-inflammatory response were also present in the highly exposed children. C-reactive protein and the prostaglandin E metabolite levels were positively correlated with twenty-four- and forty-eight-hour cumulative concentrations of PM(2.5). Exposure to urban air pollution is associated with immunodysregulation and systemic inflammation in children and is a major health threat.
Calderón-Garcidueñas
Lilian
L
Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico. lilian.calderon-garciduenas@umontana.edu
Macías-Parra
Mercedes
M
Hoffmann
Hans J
HJ
Valencia-Salazar
Gildardo
G
Henríquez-Roldán
Carlos
C
Osnaya
Norma
N
Monte
Ofelia Camacho-Del
OC
Barragán-Mejía
Gerardo
G
Villarreal-Calderon
Rodolfo
R
Romero
Lina
L
Granada-Macías
Margarita
M
Torres-Jardón
Ricardo
R
Medina-Cortina
Humberto
H
Maronpot
Robert R
RR
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014504:Urban Health
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter