title: Toxicology of ambient particulate matter.
abstract: It is becoming increasingly clear that inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) can lead to or exacerbate various diseases, which are not limited to the lung but extend to the cardiovascular system and possibly other organs and tissues. Epidemiological studies have provided strong evidence for associations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis and cardiovascular disease, while the evidence for a link with lung cancer is less strong. Novel research has provided first hints that exposure to PM might lead to diabetes and central nervous system (CNS) pathology. In the current review, an overview is presented of the toxicological basis for adverse health effects that have been linked to PM inhalation. Oxidative stress and inflammation are discussed as central processes driving adverse effects; in addition, profibrotic and allergic processes are implicated in PM-related diseases. Effects of PM on key cell types considered as regulators of inflammatory, fibrotic and allergic mechanisms are described.
authors.affiliation: Particle Research, Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung (IUF), Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Damiën
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Berlo
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hullmann
authors.forename: Roel P F
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Schins
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter