title: Evaluation of inflammatory effects of airborne endotoxin emitted from composting sources.
abstract: Because of the lack of effective methodology, the biological effects of environmental endotoxin have not been assessed. Here we have collected and measured airborne endotoxin at different locations around composting sites. Increased endotoxin concentrations were observed close to composting activities and also at nearby boundary areas. Analysis of proinflammatory effects of the environmental endotoxin on interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-6 release from human D562 pharyngeal epithelial and MM6 monocytic cell cultures showed an association between endotoxin level and cytokine induction. The cytokine-inducing effect of bioaerosol extracts was inhibited by polymyxin B, indicating that endotoxin was the cause of cytokine responses we found. The environmental endotoxin was also more active for stimulating cytokines in airway epithelial cells than commercially purified Escherichia coli endotoxin. Our results suggest that these in vitro inflammatory cell models may contribute to the assessment of health impacts of environmental endotoxin.
authors.affiliation: University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Louise J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Pankhurst
authors.forename: Lewis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: Wondwossen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abate
authors.forename: Enda T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Gill H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: Phil J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Longhurst
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Longhurst
authors.forename: Sean F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tyrrel
authors.forename: Simon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002460:Cell Line; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8