title: Inhalation of two putative Gulf War toxins by mice.
abstract: We employed our inhalation methodology to examine whether biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress would be produced in mice following inhalation of aerosols containing carbonaceous particles or the vapor of pesticides prevalent during the first Gulf War. Exposure to two putative Gulf War Illness toxins, fine airborne particles and the pesticide malathion, increased biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in Friend virus B (FVB) female mice. Mice inhaling particles 24 h before had increased lung lavage and plasma Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) (a biomarker of inflammation) and PGF2α (a biomarker of oxidative stress) levels, lung lavage protein and lung lavage lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. These changes were a function of particle density and exposure time. Compared to particle inhalation, mice inhaling malathion 24 h before had small increase in plasma LTB4 and PGF2α levels but no increase in lung lavage LTB4, lung lavage protein, lung lavage LDH, and lung lavage alveolar macrophage (AM) levels compared to unexposed control mice. AM from particle-exposed mice contained phagocytosed particles, while AM from malathion-exposed mice showed no abnormalities. Our results indicate that inhaling particles or malathion can alter inflammatory and oxidative biomarkers in mice and raise the possibility that these toxins may have altered inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers in Gulf War-exposed individuals.
authors.affiliation: a Webb-Waring Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Repine
authors.affiliation: a Webb-Waring Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: a Webb-Waring Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elkins
authors.affiliation: a Webb-Waring Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klawitter
authors.affiliation: a Webb-Waring Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Christians
authors.affiliation: b Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Denver , Denver , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: b Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Denver , Denver , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Dwight M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D047830:Gulf War; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects; D008294:Malathion / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D015415:Biomarkers; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D015237:Dinoprost; D008294:Malathion
keywords: Gulf War illness; Pesticides; biomarkers; carbonaceous airborne particles; inflammation; leukocytes; lung; macrophages; malathion; mice; oxidative stress; phagocytosis; plasma