title: [Effects of airborne fine particulate matters on pulmonary inflammation injury and Th17/Treg balance of sub-chronic exposure mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore effects of fine particulate matters (PM 2.5) onpulmonary inflammation, and the changes of Th17/Treg balance as well as related cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into 4 groups including 1 saline control group and 3 PM2.5 exposure groups (1.5, 7.5 and 15 mg/kg BW, respectively). Each group received intratracheal instillation twice per week for 3 consecutive months. 24 hours after the last exposure, anaesthetize the mice with chloral hydrate, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for inflammatory cells and cytokines analysis. The Th17- and Treg-related cytokines in BALF was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The level of the specific transcription factors of Th17 and Treg in lung tissue was determined by real-time PCR. Unlavaged left lung were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for histopathological detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Th17-related cytokine IL-17 increased, but Treg-related cytokine IL-10 decreased significantly in BALF at 7.5 and 15 mg/kg BW PM2.5 exposure groups compared with control group (P < 0.05). Consistently, the relative mRNA expression of ROR-gammat (specific transcription factors of Th17) increased in a dose-response way, the relative mRNA expression of Foxp3 + (specific transcription factors of Treg) decreased in a dose-response way.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sub-chronic PM2.5 exposure caused persistent inflammation, immune injury and disordered the Th17/Treg imbalance as well as related cytokines.
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Yang
authors: Qiongjin
authors: Q
authors: Ma
authors: Lishan
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Lü
authors: Rongfang
authors: R
authors: Jiang
authors: Weimin
authors: W
authors: Song
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D016207:Cytokines; D007249:Inflammation; D016753:Interleukin-10; D008168:Lung; D055370:Lung Injury; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011014:Pneumonia; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D016207:Cytokines; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D052638:Particulate Matter; D016753:Interleukin-10