title: A work group report on ultrafine particles (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology): Why ambient ultrafine and engineered nanoparticles should receive special attention for possible adverse health outcomes in human subjects.
abstract: Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are airborne particulates of less than 100 nm in aerodynamic diameter. Examples of UFPs are diesel exhaust particles, products of cooking, heating, and wood burning in indoor environments, and, more recently, products generated through the use of nanotechnology. Studies have shown that ambient UFPs have detrimental effects on both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including a higher incidence of atherosclerosis and exacerbation rate of asthma. UFPs have been found to alter in vitro and in vivo responses of the immune system to allergens and can also play a role in allergen sensitization. The inflammatory properties of UFPs can be mediated by a number of different mechanisms, including the ability to produce reactive oxygen species, leading to the generation of proinflammatory cytokines and airway inflammation. In addition, because of their small size, UFPs also have unique distribution characteristics in the respiratory tree and circulation and might be able to alter cellular function in ways that circumvent normal signaling pathways. Additionally, UFPs can penetrate intracellularly and potentially cause DNA damage. The recent advances in nanotechnology, although opening up new opportunities for the advancement of technology and medicine, could also lead to unforeseen adverse health effects in exposed human subjects. Further research is needed to clarify the safety of nanoscale particles, as well as the elucidation of the possible beneficial use of these particulates to treat disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Diagnostic Investigation, CVM, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich. Electronic address: lining3@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georas
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alexis
authors.affiliation: New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: US Army Public Health Command, Toxicology Portfolio, Health Effects Research Program, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Md.
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: UL Environment, Marietta, Ga.
authors.forename: Elliott
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.affiliation: Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif. Electronic address: ANel@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nel
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000397:Air Pollution; D000818:Animals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000009:adverse effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012828:Silicones / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012828:Silicones
keywords: Ambient ultrafine particles; allergic inflammation; asthma; effect on human health; engineered nanoparticles; lung inflammation; oxidative stress; particle deposition and distribution