title: Shifted T-cell polarisation after agricultural dust exposure in mice and men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A low prevalence of asthma and atopy has been shown in farmers and agricultural workers. However, in these workers, a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms has been reported, in which T helper 1 (Th1) and/or Th17 responses may play a role.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of exposure to dust extracts (DEs) from different farms on airway inflammation and T-cell polarisation in a mouse model and assessed T-cell polarisation in agricultural workers from the same farms.
  
  
  METHODS
  DEs were prepared from settled dust collected at cattle and pig farms and bulb and onion industries. Mice were exposed to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), DEs, house dust mite (HDM) or HDM+DE via nasal instillation, four times per week during 5 weeks. Hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, IgE levels and T-cell polarisation were assessed. Th-cell and T cytotoxic (Tc)-cell subsets were investigated in peripheral blood samples from 33 agricultural workers and 9 non-exposed controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DEs induced interleukin(IL)-17, IL-1β and IL-6 in mouse lung homogenates. DE-exposed mice had more mixed inflammatory infiltrates in the lungs, and more neutrophils compared with PBS-exposed mice. DEs protected against the HDM-induced Th2 response and methacholine hyperresponsiveness. Interestingly, occupationally exposed humans had higher frequencies of Th cells spontaneously expressing IL-17 and interferon γ compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic exposure to different types of farm dust induces a Th/Tc-17 inflammatory response in mice and agricultural workers. This may contribute to the low prevalence of Th2-related diseases but may constitute a risk for other chronic respiratory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robbe
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E A J
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Spierenburg
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Pharmacokinetics, University of Groningen, Toxicology and Targeting, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Draijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brandsma
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Pulmonology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Telenga
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Oosterhout
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Pulmonology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van den Berge
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luinge
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Pharmacokinetics, University of Groningen, Toxicology and Targeting, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Melgert
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heederik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Timens
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC-Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hylkema
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004391:Dust / Q000276:immunology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Allergic lung disease; Asthma; Occupational Lung Disease