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Crawford MS, Ulu A, Ramirez BM, Santos AN, Chatterjee P, Canale V, Manz S, Lei H, Nordgren TM, McCole DF. Respiratory exposure to agricultural dust extract promotes increased intestinal Tnfα expression, gut barrier dysfunction, and endotoxemia in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2024; 326:G3-G15. [PMID: 37874654 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00297.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are responsible for the production of global greenhouse gases and harmful environmental pollutants including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and particulate matter. Swine farmers are frequently exposed to organic dust that is proinflammatory in the lung and are thus at greater risk of developing pneumonia, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. In addition to respiratory disease, air pollutants are directly associated with altered gastrointestinal (GI) physiology and the development of GI diseases, thereby highlighting the gut-lung axis in disease progression. Instillation of hog dust extract (HDE) for 3 wk has been reported to promote the development of chronic airway inflammation in mice, however, the impact of HDE exposure on intestinal homeostasis is poorly understood. We report that 3-wk intranasal exposure of HDE is associated with increased intestinal macromolecule permeability and elevated serum endotoxin concentrations in C57BL/6J mice. In vivo studies also indicated mislocalization of the epithelial cell adhesion protein, E-cadherin, in the colon as well as an increase in the proinflammatory cytokine, Tnfα, in the proximal colon. Moreover, mRNA expression of the Paneth cell-associated marker, Lyz1, was increased the proximal colon, whereas the expression of the goblet cell marker, Muc2, was unchanged in the epithelial cells of the ileum, cecum, and distal colon. These results demonstrate that airway exposure to CAFOs dusts promote airway inflammation and modify the gastrointestinal tract to increase intestinal permeability, induce systemic endotoxemia, and promote intestinal inflammation. Therefore, this study identifies complex physiological consequences of chronic exposure to organic dusts derived from CAFOs on the gut-lung axis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Agricultural workers have a higher prevalence of occupational respiratory symptoms and are at greater risk of developing respiratory diseases. However, gastrointestinal complications have also been reported, yet the intestinal pathophysiology is understudied. This work is novel because it emphasizes the role of an inhaled environmental pollutant on the development of intestinal pathophysiological outcomes. This work will provide foundation for other studies evaluating how agricultural dusts disrupts host physiology and promotes debilitating gastrointestinal and systemic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meli'sa S Crawford
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Arzu Ulu
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Briana M Ramirez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Alina N Santos
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Pritha Chatterjee
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Vinicius Canale
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Salomon Manz
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Hillmin Lei
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Tara M Nordgren
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Declan F McCole
- School of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
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May S, Romberger DJ, Poole JA. Respiratory health effects of large animal farming environments. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2012; 15:524-41. [PMID: 23199220 PMCID: PMC4001716 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2012.744288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
With increases in large animal-feeding operations to meet consumer demand, adverse upper and lower respiratory health effects in exposed agriculture workers are a concern. The aim of this study was to review large animal confinement feeding operational exposures associated with respiratory disease with a focus on recent advances in the knowledge of causative factors and cellular and immunological mechanisms. A PubMed search was conducted with the keywords airway, farm, swine, dairy, horse, cattle inflammation, organic dust, endotoxin, and peptidoglycan, among items were published between 1980 and now. Articles were selected based on their relevance to environmental exposure and reference to airway diseases. Airway diseases included rhinitis, sinusitis, mucus membrane inflammation syndrome, asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and organic dust toxic syndrome. There is lower prevalence of immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated asthma and atopy in farmers and their children, but organic dust worsens existing asthma. Multiple etiologic factors are linked to disease, including allergens, organic dusts, endotoxins, peptidoglycans, and gases. Large animal confinement feeding operations contain a wide diversity of microbes with increasing focus on gram-positive bacteria and archaebacteria as opposed to gram-negative bacteria in mediating disease. Toll-like receptors (TLR) and nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like innate immune pathways respond to these exposures. Finally, a chronic inflammatory adaptation, tolerance-like response in chronically exposed workers occurs. Large animal confinement farming exposures produce a wide spectrum of upper and lower respiratory tract diseases due to the complex diversity of organic dust, particulates, microbial cell wall components, and gases and resultant activation of various innate immune receptor signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara May
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy Division; Department of Internal Medicine,; University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985300 The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5300
| | - Debra J. Romberger
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy Division; Department of Internal Medicine,; University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985300 The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5300
- Veterans Administration Nebraska Western Iowa Healthcare System, Omaha, NE, 4101 Woolworth Ave., 68105
| | - Jill A. Poole
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy Division; Department of Internal Medicine,; University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985300 The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5300
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Cho KJ, Jones S, Jones G, McKay R, Grinshpun SA, Dwivedi A, Shukla R, Singh U, Reponen T. Effect of particle size on respiratory protection provided by two types of N95 respirators used in agricultural settings. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2010; 7:622-627. [PMID: 20835946 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2010.513910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
This study compared size-selective workplace protection factors (WPFs) of an N95 elastomeric respirator (ER) and an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) in agricultural environments. Twenty-five healthy farm workers ranging in age from 20 to 30 years voluntarily participated in this study. Altogether, eight farms were included representing three different types: two horse farms, three pig barns, and three grain handling sites. Subjects wore the ER and FFR while performing their daily activities, such as spreading hay, feeding livestock, and shoveling. Aerosol concentrations in an optical particle size range of 0.7-10 μm were determined simultaneously inside and outside the respirator during the first and last 15 min of a 60-min experiment. For every subject, size-selective WPFs were calculated in 1-min intervals and averaged over 30 min. For the ER, geometric mean WPFs were 172, 321, 1013, 2097, and 2784 for particle diameters of 0.7-1.0, 1.0-2.0, 2.0-3.0, 3.0-5.0, and 5.0-10.0 μm, respectively. Corresponding values for the FFR were 67, 124, 312, 909, and 2089. The 5th percentiles for the ER and FFR were higher than the assigned protection factor of 10 and varied from 28 to 250 and from 16 to 223, respectively. Results show that the N95 ER and FFR tested in the study provided an expected level of protection for workers on agricultural farms against particles ranging from 0.7 to 10 μm. WPFs for the ER were higher than the FFR for all particle size ranges. WPFs for both respirator types increased with increasing particle size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungmin Jacob Cho
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
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Slager RE, Simpson SL, LeVan TD, Poole JA, Sandler DP, Hoppin JA. Rhinitis associated with pesticide use among private pesticide applicators in the agricultural health study. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2010; 73:1382-93. [PMID: 20818537 PMCID: PMC2964833 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2010.497443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Farmers commonly experience rhinitis but the risk factors are not well characterized. The aim of this study was to analyze cross-sectional data on rhinitis in the past year and pesticide use from 21,958 Iowa and North Carolina farmers in the Agricultural Health Study, enrolled 1993-1997, to evaluate pesticide predictors of rhinitis. Polytomous and logistic regression models were used to assess association between pesticide use and rhinitis while controlling for demographics and farm-related exposures. Sixty-seven percent of farmers reported current rhinitis and 39% reported 3 or more rhinitis episodes. The herbicides glyphosate [odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.05-1.13] and petroleum oil (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.05-1.19) were associated with current rhinitis and increased rhinitis episodes. Of the insecticides, four organophosphates (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dichlorvos, and malathion), carbaryl, and use of permethrin on animals were predictors of current rhinitis. Diazinon was significant in the overall polytomous model and was associated with an elevated OR of 13+ rhinitis episodes (13+ episodes OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.09-1.38). The fungicide captan was also a significant predictor of rhinitis. Use of petroleum oil, use of malathion, use of permethrin, and use of the herbicide metolachlor were significant in exposure-response polytomous models. Specific pesticides may contribute to rhinitis in farmers; agricultural activities did not explain these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Slager
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157 phone: 336-713-7513
| | - Sean L. Simpson
- Department of Biostatistics, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157 phone: 336-716-8369
| | - Tricia D. LeVan
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy Division, Department of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198 phone: 402-559-3985
| | - Jill A. Poole
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy Division, Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE, 68198 phone: (402) 559-6266
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 phone: (919) 541-4668
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 phone: (919) 541-7622
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L. J. Huffman, D. J. Judy, V. A. Ro. INHALATION OF COTTON DUST IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASES IN NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION BY RAT BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE CELLS. Inhal Toxicol 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/089583797198079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Lambert GP, Spurzem JR, Romberger DJ, Wyatt TA, Lyden E, Stromquist AM, Merchant JA, Von Essen S. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha hyper-responsiveness to endotoxin in whole blood is associated with chronic bronchitis in farmers. J Agromedicine 2005; 10:39-44. [PMID: 15927916 DOI: 10.1300/j096v10n01_05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many farmers experience chronic bronchitis, airflow obstruction, and asthma. It is thought that these respiratory problems may be related to workplace inhalation of organic dust containing endotoxin. The purpose of this study was to determine whether whole blood cytokine responsiveness to endotoxin is associated with airflow disorders (i.e., airflow obstruction, chronic bronchitis, and doctor-diagnosed asthma). Farmers (N = 95) were recruited from a rural cohort study and completed a respiratory symptom and history questionnaire, spirometry, and blood sampling. Blood was incubated 24 hours in the presence and absence of endotoxin and supernatants were analyzed for TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8. Hypo- or hyper-responsiveness to endotoxin was based on whether cytokine values were in the lower or upper 10% of the group range, respectively. A significant association existed between TNF-alpha hyper-responsiveness and chronic bronchitis. These results indicate that the whole blood cytokine assay may be useful to identify individual responsiveness to endotoxin, and may provide an additional diagnostic tool to evaluate persons potentially at risk for developing chronic bronchitis following exposure to organic dust in the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Patrick Lambert
- Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
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Von Essen S, Fryzek J, Nowakowski B, Wampler M. Respiratory symptoms and farming practices in farmers associated with an acute febrile illness after organic dust exposure. Chest 1999; 116:1452-8. [PMID: 10559111 DOI: 10.1378/chest.116.5.1452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE To conduct a preliminary study of occupational respiratory complaints in farmers who have experienced organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) symptoms. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING An agricultural trade show. INTERVENTION None. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS Two hundred ninety-seven people (204 men, 93 women) completed a questionnaire about agricultural practices, respiratory health (including history of febrile episodes while handling grain), and use of respirators. Spirometry was also performed. ODTS symptoms were described by 107 of the people (36%). A strong significant association was found between ODTS and cough or chest tightness after handling grain (odds ratio [OR], 7.5; 95% confidence ratio [CI], 4.2 to 13.5). People who experienced cough or chest tightness after handling grain were more likely to report handling grain sorghum than people who had not experienced cough or chest tightening after handling grain (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.5). The strong association seen between ODTS and frequent use of a respirator while working in grain bins (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.6 to 9.4) may indicate that farmers began using respirators after respiratory symptoms developed. CONCLUSIONS Having a history consistent with ODTS exposure was very common in the farmers surveyed. Farmers who had a history consistent with ODTS were more likely to report cough or chest tightness with handling grain. Exposure to grain sorghum was more likely to be associated with respiratory symptoms than was exposure to other types of grain. There is a need for additional studies to further examine the relationship between ODTS and respiratory symptoms with grain dust exposure in farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Von Essen
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5300, USA.
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Becker S, Clapp WA, Quay J, Frees KL, Koren HS, Schwartz DA. Compartmentalization of the inflammatory response to inhaled grain dust. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999; 160:1309-18. [PMID: 10508823 DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.160.4.9901062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and the secreted form of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (sIL-1RA) are involved in the inflammatory response to inhaled grain dust. Previously, we found considerable production of these cytokines in the lower respiratory tract of workers exposed by inhalation to aqueous extracts of corn dust extract. Alveolar macrophages (AM) have long been considered the cell type responsible for producing these cytokines, and only recently has it been realized that airway epithelial cells may also be involved in cytokine production. In order to determine whether airway epithelia are involved in the inflammatory response to inhaled corn dust extract and to compare the magnitude of response of bronchial epithelial cells (BE) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells, we used the reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) technique in a semiquantitative manner to evaluate the concentration of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and sIL-1RA. Alveolar cells were obtained by BAL, and BE were obtained by endobronchial brush biopsy from 15 grain handlers 6 h after experimental inhalation of saline or an aqueous corn dust extract. After inhalation of saline, BE expressed low but detectable levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1beta (> 1 complementary DNA [cDNA] molecule/cell). After inhalation of corn dust extract, the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) for IL-1beta and IL-8 in the BE were significantly increased, whereas no change was seen in IL-6, sIL-1RA, and TNF-alpha mRNA expression. Comparing cytokine mRNA levels in BE and BAL cells from the same subjects after inhalation of corn dust extract, BE and BAL cells expressed equivalent amounts of IL-8 mRNA; IL-1beta was 11-fold higher in BAL cells; and TNF-alpha and sIL-1RA were expressed exclusively by BAL cells. Immunostaining for the cytokines in BAL cells showed cytokine protein expression in AMs but not in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). On the other hand, sIL-1RA was strongly expressed in both AMs and PMNs. Analysis of cytokine protein levels in endobronchial lavage (EBL) fluid demonstrated that only IL-8 was released in detectable amounts into the airway lumen, whereas all the other cytokines of interest were exclusively found in the BAL fluid. Thus, within 6 h after inhalation exposure to corn dust extract, BE appear to contribute to airway inflammation by producing IL-8. AMs are responsible for most of the IL-1beta and IL-6 production in the alveolar region, whereas AMs and PMNs both produce sIL-1RA. Our findings suggest that the inflammatory response to inhaled grain dust is compartmentalized, involving specific mediators of inflammation released by macrophages, neutrophils, and airway epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Becker
- U.S. EPA NHEERL, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Park HS, Jung KS. Enhanced neutrophil chemotactic activity after bronchial challenge in subjects with grain dust-induced asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1998; 80:257-62. [PMID: 9532975 DOI: 10.1016/s1081-1206(10)62967-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There have been few reports suggesting involvement of neutrophils in induction of bronchoconstriction after inhalation of grain dust. OBJECTIVES To understand the role of neutrophils in pathogenesis of grain dust-induced asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We observed serum neutrophil chemotactic activity during grain dust-bronchoprovocation tests in six asthmatic subjects with positive bronchial challenges (group I). They were compared with those of six symptomatic subjects from the same workplace with negative bronchial challenges (group II). RESULTS After grain dust inhalation, serum neutrophil chemotactic activity significantly increased at 30 minutes (P = .028), and then decreased to baseline level at 240 minutes (P = .028) in five subjects of group I having isolated early asthmatic responses. Enhanced neutrophil chemotactic activity was persistent for up to 240 minutes in one asthmatic subject having both early and late asthmatic responses. There was, however, no significant change in serum neutrophil chemotactic activity during bronchial challenges in subjects of group II. Pre-incubation of sera with anti-interleukin-8 (IL-8) antibody did not affect the neutrophil chemotactic activity results of group I subjects. CONCLUSION These results suggest that enhanced neutrophil chemotactic activity distinct from IL-8 may contribute to significant bronchoconstriction induced by grain dust.
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Affiliation(s)
- H S Park
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
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Von Essen SG, O'Neill DP, Olenchok SA, Robbins RA, Rennard SI. Grain dusts and grain plant components vary in their ability to recruit neutrophils. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1995; 46:425-41. [PMID: 8523470 DOI: 10.1080/15287399509532047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposure to grain dusts can cause bronchitis, particularly to grain sorghum dust. Bronchitis is associated with the presence of increased numbers of neutrophils. To determine how grain dusts could cause neutrophil recruitment to the airways, extract of whole-grain sorghum, corn, and soybean dusts and of pulverized components of these plants were made with Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS) and used in direct neutrophil chemotaxis experiments. The glume of the grain sorghum plant, the structure holding the seeds in place, caused the migration of the greatest number of neutrophils compared to HBSS [132 +/- 7 vs. 60 cells/high-power field (hpf) +/- 2 SEM, p < .001], followed by whole-grain sorghum dust (121 +/- 5 cells/hpf). Next, bovine bronchial epithelial cells (BBECs) were obtained from fresh lungs and grown to near confluence before challenge with a 10% solution of grain dust and grain plant extracts. The grain sorghum glume and whole-grain sorghum dusts caused release of the greatest amount of neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) from BBECs compared to the medium M199 negative control (141 +/- 6 and 153 +/- 7, respectively, vs. 64 cells/hpf +/- 3 SEM, p < .001). The ability to cause neutrophils to migrate by direct and indirect means did not correlate with levels in the grain dusts of endotoxin, which is known to cause release of NCA from bronchial epithelial cells. Therefore, this article describes additional mechanisms by which grain dusts can cause pulmonary inflammation and that are independent of endotoxin levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- S G Von Essen
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-5300, USA
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Kolopp-Sarda MN, Massin N, Gobert B, Wild P, Moulin JJ, Béné MC, Faure GC. Humoral immune responses of workers occupationally exposed to wheat flour. Am J Ind Med 1994; 26:671-9. [PMID: 7832214 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.4700260509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Wheat flour is a complex organic dust likely to induce immune responses when inhaled in work environment conditions. We compared the humoral status of 159 exposed workers from 11 flour mills and one industrial bakery with that of 41 workers from a salt factory. IgG, IgA, and IgM levels of antibodies to whole flour and to gliadin were assayed using ELISA tests in serum and saliva samples. Serum levels of IgG and IgA to both antigens were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in occupationally exposed workers. Exposed workers had significantly higher levels of salivary IgG (p = 0.005) and IgA (p < 0.0001) to whole flour and of salivary IgG (p = 0.0005) to gliadin. In both groups, similar levels of anti-gliadin salivary IgA antibodies were observed. These data suggest that occupational exposure to wheat flour triggers specific immune responses, most likely through stimulation of the mucosal immune system. The presence of significant levels of serum antibodies, however, indicates that a systemic immunologic response is also present among exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Kolopp-Sarda
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine de Nancy, Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
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Von Essen SG, O'Neill DP, Robbins RA, Rennard SI. Neutrophil chemotaxis to extracts of grain plant components. Am J Ind Med 1994; 25:85-8. [PMID: 8116660 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.4700250122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to grain dust has been associated with a neutrophilic bronchitis. In vitro studies suggest several possible mechanisms for recruitment of neutrophils, including direct chemotaxis to aqueous grain dust extracts and release of chemotactic activity by bronchial epithelial cells in response to challenge with grain dust extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- S G Von Essen
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Omaha 68198-5300
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Clapp WD, Thorne PS, Frees KL, Zhang X, Lux CR, Schwartz DA. The effects of inhalation of grain dust extract and endotoxin on upper and lower airways. Chest 1993; 104:825-30. [PMID: 8365296 DOI: 10.1378/chest.104.3.825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
To characterize the short-term effects of grain dusts on pulmonary function, mucosal inflammation, and systemic responses, four women and three men inhaled nebulized corn and soybean dust extracts, endotoxin diluted with Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS), and HBSS. Subjects were volunteers recruited via newspaper advertisement and were required to be healthy, nonasthmatic, nonatopic never-smokers. The mean age was 26.9 years (range, 19 to 36 years). Using a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, each subject was challenged with each of the 4 substances with at least 10 days between challenges. Serial spirometry, peripheral blood leukocyte and differential cell counts, and 24-h postchallenge nasal lavages were performed. Extracts were produced by mixing 3 g of the corn or soybean dust with 30 ml HBSS followed by shaking for 60 min, centrifugation, then filter sterilization. The endotoxin solution was produced by mixing lyophilized Escherichia coli endotoxin (serotype 0111:B4) with HBSS to attain a final concentration of 7 mg/L, which was the same as the concentration of endotoxin in both grain dust solutions. The pH of all solutions and unmixed HBSS was adjusted to 5.8, which was the native pH of the soybean dust extract. Subjects were challenged with 0.08 ml/kg of each substance, resulting in a range of endotoxin doses of 30 to 60 micrograms, similar to that which a worker might inhale over the course of one workshift. The lowest mean percentage baseline FEV1 (+/- SD) after inhalation challenge was 99.2 +/- 2.1 for HBSS, and it was significantly lower for endotoxin (90.1 +/- 8.5, p = 0.03), corn dust extract (93.1 +/- 4.3, p = 0.02), and soybean dust extract (96.2 +/- 3.7, p = 0.03). In addition, a peripheral blood leukocytosis developed after exposure to all three endotoxin-containing solutions (p < 0.05), yet a lower peripheral blood lymphocyte count was found only after inhalation of corn dust extract (p = 0.02). Interestingly, this was associated with a higher nasal lavage lymphocyte count after inhalation of corn dust extract (p = 0.03). Neither the decrease in peripheral blood lymphocytes nor the increase in nasal lymphocytes were found after inhalation of soybean dust extract or endotoxin. Our results indicate that extracts of grain dusts have physiologic effects similar to endotoxin. However, in spite of the same endotoxin levels, the effects of corn dust extract appear to have different biologic activity than either soybean dust extract or endotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- W D Clapp
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242
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