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Exposure to Air Pollution Enhances the Generation of Vascular Microparticles
Citation:
BAILEY, C., J. M. SOUKUP, D. DIAZ SANCHEZ, AND M. S. CARRAWAY. Exposure to Air Pollution Enhances the Generation of Vascular Microparticles. Presented at 2010 NIEHS-EPA Symposium on Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease, Seattle, WA, June 21 - 22, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
This work will provide mechanistic insight into air pollution induced cardiovascular effects and further evaluate the potential of microparticles as a clinically relevant biomarker for air pollution exposure.
Description:
Epidemiological studies associate exposure to ambient levels of particulate matter (PM) with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The biological mechanisms by which PM exposure induces cardiovascular effects remain to be elucidated. One important limitation is the lack of sensitive clinical biomarkers of PM-induced cardiovascular dysfunction. Vascular microparticles, 0.1-1 micron microvesicles released by activated cells, are a potential indicator whose concentration may correlate with the state of activation of the vasculature. Microparticles can promote coagulation and increased levels may indicate vascular injury, both hallmarks of cardiovascular disease. We hypothesize that air pollutants induce generation of blood microparticles that may promote coagulation. In this study, venous blood was collected from normal healthy volunteers, anti-coagulated and exposed ex vivo to extracts of PM or diesel exhaust particles (DEP) for 6 hours. Microparticles were isolated from the plasma, enumerated and characterized by flow cytometry. Aqueous components of PM and organic extract of diesel exhaust particles induced significant generation of microparticles from blood cells. In comparison to microparticles from control treated blood, air pollution-derived vascular microparticles were shown to have increased surface expression of phosphatidyl serine, which may increase their coagulation potential. This study will further determine whether specific PM components generate distinct microparticles with regard to their cell origin, cell surface markers, and thrombotic potency. This work will provide mechanistic insight into air pollution induced cardiovascular effects and further evaluate the potential of microparticles as a clinically relevant biomarker for air pollution exposure. THIS ABSTRACT OF A PROPOSED PRESENTATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT EPA POLICY.