title: Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) air pollution and immune status among women in the Seattle area.
abstract: Changes in immune status have been suggested as a possible biologic mechanism by which particulate matter (PM) air pollution could lead to adverse health effects. The authors studied associations between ambient PM₂.₅ and immune status among 115 postmenopausal, overweight women in the greater Seattle, Washington, area. The authors evaluated 3-day, 30-day, and 60-day average PM₂.₅ values in relation to inflammation markers (C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin-6) and functional assays of cellular immunity (natural killer cell cytotoxicity, T-lymphocyte proliferation) at 3 time points for each woman during 1 year. Three-day averaged PM₂.₅ was inversely associated with anti-CD3-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. There were no notable associations between the inflammation markers and PM₂.₅. If additional studies confirm our findings, then future health effect assessments for PM₂.₅ should consider changes in cellular immunity as an endpoint that may lead to overt clinical disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wener
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Zehava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen-Levy
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McTiernan
authors.forename: Anneclaire J De
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Roos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D052638:Particulate Matter; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein