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Metals in airpollution particles decrease whole blood coagulation time
Citation:
GHIO, A. J., J. M. SOUKUP, AND R. Sangani. Metals in airpollution particles decrease whole blood coagulation time. Presented at Intl Association for Breath Research , Dortmund, GERMANY, April 26 - 30, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
research results
Description:
The mechanism underlying the pro-coagulative effect of air pollution particle exposure is not known. We tested the postulate that 1) the soluble fraction ofan air pollution particle can affect whole blood coagulation time and 2) metals included in the soluble fraction are responsible for this effect. The soluble fraction oftwo air pollution particles was added to whole blood and coagulation time measured. The effects of ammonium sulfate, several metal sulfates, citric acid, EDTA, iron citrate, and EDTA ferric sodium on whole blood coagulation time were similarly examined. Whole blood exposure to particle supernatant, at doses as low as 50 ng/mL original particle, significantly diminished the time to clot. Inclusion of deferoxamine prolonged coagulation time following the exposures to the supernatants while equivalent doses of ferroxamine had no effect. Except for nickel, all metal sulfates shortened the whole blood coagulation time. Iron and zinc were those two metals with the greatest capacity to reduce the coagulation time with an effect observed at 10 ng/mL. Finally, in contrast to the anti-coagulants citrate and EDTA, their iron complexes were found to be pro¬coagulative. We conclude that metals in the soluble fraction of air pollution particles decrease whole blood coagulation time. These metals potentially contribute to pro¬coagulative effects observed following human exposures to air pollution particles.