Diesel engine exhaust initiates a sequence of pulmonary and cardiovascular effects in rats.
This study was designed to determine the sequence of events leading to cardiopulmonary effects following acute inhalation of diesel engine exhaust in rats. Rats were exposed for 2 h to diesel engine exhaust (1.9 mg/m(3)), and biological parameters related to antioxidant defense, inflammation, and procoagulation were examined after 4, 18, 24, 48, and 72 h. This in vivo inhalation study showed a pulmonary anti-oxidant response (an increased activity of the anti-oxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and an increase in heme oxygenase-1 protein, heme oxygenase activity, and uric acid) which precedes the inflammatory response (an increase in IL-6 and TNF-α). In addition, increased plasma thrombogenicity and immediate anti-oxidant defense gene expression in aorta tissue shortly after the exposure might suggest direct translocation of diesel engine exhaust components to the vasculature but mediation by other pathways cannot be ruled out. This study therefore shows that different stages in oxidative stress are not only affected by dose increments but are also time dependent.
Department of Environment, Health and Safety, TNO Built, Environment and Geosciences, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Ingeborg M
IM
Kooter
Miriam E
ME
Gerlofs-Nijland
A John F
AJ
Boere
Daan L A C
DL
Leseman
Paul H B
PH
Fokkens
Henri M H
HM
Spronk
Kim
K
Frederix
Hugo
H
Ten Cate
Ad M
AM
Knaapen
Hendrik J
HJ
Vreman
Flemming R
FR
Cassee