Particulate matter air pollution and the expression of microRNAs and pro-inflammatory genes: Association and mediation among children in Jinan, China

Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals, DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase among middle-school students in China

The main components of particulate matter (PM) had been reported to change DNA methylation levels. However, the mixed effect of PM and its constituents on DNA methylation and the underlying mechanism in children has not been well characterized. To investigate the association between single or mixture exposures and global DNA methylation or DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), 273 children were recruited (110 in low-exposed area and 163 in high-exposed area) in China. Serum benzo[a]pyridin-7,8-dihydroglycol-9, 10-epoxide (BPDE)-albumin adduct and urinary metals were determined as exposure markers. The global DNA methylation (% 5mC) and the mRNA expression of DNMT1, and DNMT3A were measured. The linear regression, quantile-based g-computation (QGC), and mediation analyses were performed to investigate the effects of individual and mixture exposure. We found that significantly lower levels of % 5mC (P < 0.001) and the mRNA expression of DNMT3A in high-PM exposed group (P = 0.031). After adjustment for age, gender, BMI z-score, detecting status of urinary cotinine, serum folate, and white blood cells, urinary arsenic (As) was negatively correlated with the % 5mC. One IQR increase in urinary As (19.97 μmol/mol creatinine) was associated with a 11.06 % decrease in % 5mC (P = 0.026). Serum BPDE-albumin adduct and urinary cadmium (Cd) were negatively correlated with the levels of DNMT1 and DNMT3A (P < 0.05). Mixture exposure was negatively associated with expression of DNMT3A in QGC analysis (β: -0.19, P < 0.001). Mixture exposure was significantly associated with decreased % 5mC in the children with non-detected cotinine or normal serum folate (P < 0.05), which the most contributors were PAHs and As. The mediated effect of hypomethylation through DNMT1 or DNMT3A pathway was not observed. Our findings indicated that individual and mixture exposure PAHs and metal components had negative associations with global DNA methylation and decreased DNMT3A expression significantly in school-age individuals.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure and arterial stiffness-related plasma miRNAs: A panel study

The underlying mechanisms between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure and arterial stiffness are poorly understood. We carried out a panel study involving three repeated surveys to examine the associations of individual and mixture of PAHs exposure with arterial stiffness-related miRNAs among 123 community adults. In linear mixed-effect (LME) models, we found that urinary 9-hydroxyfluorene (9-OHFlu), 2-hydroxyphenanthrene (2-OHPh), 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-OHPh) at lag 0 day were positively linked to miR-146a and/or miR-222. The Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) analyses revealed positive overall associations of PAHs mixture at lag 0 day with miR-146a and miR-222, and urinary 9-OHFlu contributed the most. In addition, an inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in urinary 9-OHFlu at lag 0 day was associated with elevated miR-146a and miR-222 by 0.16 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.30) to 0.34 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.54). Accordingly, exposure to PAHs, especially 9-OHFlu at lag 0 day, was related to elevated arterial stiffness-related plasma miRNAs.

Mediation of association between benzo[a]pyrene exposure and lung cancer risk by plasma microRNAs: A Chinese case-control study

Epidemiologic studies have reported the positive relationship of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exposure with the risk of lung cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship is still unclear. Plasma microRNA (miRNA) is a typical epigenetic biomarker that was linked to environment exposure and lung cancer development. We aimed to reveal the mediation effect of plasma miRNAs on BaP-related lung cancer. We designed a lung cancer case-control study including 136 lung cancer patients and 136 controls, and measured the adducts of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-albumin (BPDE-Alb) and sequenced miRNA profiles in plasma. The relationships between BPDE-Alb adducts, normalized miRNA levels and the risk of lung cancer were assessed by linear regression models. The mediation effects of miRNAs on BaP-related lung cancer were investigated. A total of 190 plasma miRNAs were significantly related to lung cancer status at Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.05, among which 57 miRNAs showed different levels with |fold change| > 2 between plasma samples before and after tumor resection surgery at Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.05. Especially, among the 57 lung cancer-associated miRNAs, BPDE-Alb adducts were significantly related to miR-17-3p, miR-20a-3p, miR-135a-5p, miR-374a-5p, miR-374b-5p, miR-423-5p and miR-664a-5p, which could in turn mediate a separate 42.2%, 33.0%, 57.5%, 36.4%, 48.8%, 32.5% and 38.2% of the relationship of BPDE-Alb adducts with the risk of lung cancer. Our results provide non-invasion biomarker candidates for lung cancer, and highlight miRNAs dysregulation as a potential intermediate mechanism by which BaP exposure lead to lung tumorigenesis.

Epigenetic mechanisms of particulate matter exposure: air pollution and hazards on human health

Environmental pollution nowadays has not only a direct correlation with human health changes but a direct social impact. Epidemiological studies have evidenced the increased damage to human health on a daily basis because of damage to the ecological niche. Rapid urban growth and industrialized societies importantly compromise air quality, which can be assessed by a notable accumulation of air pollutants in both the gas and the particle phases. Of them, particulate matter (PM) represents a highly complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds of the most variable size, composition, and origin. PM being one of the most complex environmental pollutants, its accumulation also varies in a temporal and spatial manner, which challenges current analytical techniques used to investigate PM interactions. Nevertheless, the characterization of the chemical composition of PM is a reliable indicator of the composition of the atmosphere, the quality of breathed air in urbanized societies, industrial zones and consequently gives support for pertinent measures to avoid serious health damage. Epigenomic damage is one of the most promising biological mechanisms of air pollution-derived carcinogenesis. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the implication of PM exposure in diverse molecular mechanisms driving human diseases by altered epigenetic regulation. The presented findings in the context of pan-organic cancer, fibrosis, neurodegeneration and metabolic diseases may provide valuable insights into the toxicity effects of PM components at the epigenomic level and may serve as biomarkers of early detection for novel targeted therapies.

Intermediate and long-term exposure to air pollution and temperature and the extracellular microRNA profile of participants in the normative aging study (NAS)

BACKGROUND

The molecular effects of intermediate and long-term exposure to air pollution and temperature, such as those on extracellular microRNA (ex-miRNA) are not well understood but may have clinical consequences.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between exposure to ambient air pollution and temperature and ex-miRNA profiles.

METHODS

Our study population consisted of 734 participants in the Normative Aging Study (NAS) between 1999 and 2015. We used high-resolution models to estimate four-week, eight-week, twelve-week, six-month, and one-year moving averages of PM_2.5, O₃, NO₂, and ambient temperature based on geo-coded residential addresses. The outcome of interest was the extracellular microRNA (ex-miRNA) profile of each participant over time. We used a longitudinal quantile regression approach to estimate the association between the exposures and each ex-miRNA. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons and ex-miRNAs that were still significantly associated with the exposures were further analyzed using KEGG pathway analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

RESULTS

We found 151 significant associations between levels of PM_2.5, O₃, NO₂, and ambient temperature and 82 unique ex-miRNAs across multiple quantiles. Most of the significant results were associations with intermediate-term exposure to O₃, long-term exposure to PM_2.5, and both intermediate and long-term exposure to ambient temperature. The exposures were most often associated with the 75th and 90th percentile of the outcomes. Pathway analyses of significant ex-miRNAs revealed their involvement in biological pathways involving cell function and communication as well as clinical diseases such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and neurological disease.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that intermediate and long-term exposure to all our exposures of interest were associated with changes in the ex-miRNA profile of study participants. Further studies on environmental risk factors and ex-miRNAs are warranted.

The relationship between residential exposure to atmospheric pollution and circulating miRNA in adults living in an urban area in northern France

INTRODUCTION

MicroRNAs are epigenetic regulatory factors capable of silencing the expression of target genes and might mediate the effects of air pollution on health. The objective of the present population-based study was to investigate the association between microRNA expression and long-term, residential exposure to atmospheric PM₁₀ and NO₂.

METHOD

We included 998 non-smoking adult participants from the cross-sectional ELISABET survey (2010-2014) in the Lille urban area of France. The mean residential annual pollution levels were estimated with an atmospheric dispersion modelling system. Ten microRNAs were selected on the basis of the literature data, together with two housekeeping microRNAs (miR-93-5p and miR-191-5p) and were quantified with RT-qPCRs. Multivariate linear regression models were used to study the association between microRNAs and air pollution. The threshold for statistical significance (after correction for the FDR) was set to p < 0.1.

RESULTS

The mean annual exposure between 2011 and the year of inclusion was 26.4 ± 2.0 µg/m³ for PM₁₀ and 24.7 ± 5.1 µg/m³ for NO₂. Each 2 µg/m³ increment in PM₁₀ exposure was associated with an 8.6% increment (95%CI [3.1; 14.3]; p_FDR = 0.019) in miR-451a expression. A 5 µg/m³ increment in NO₂ exposure was associated with a 5.3% increment ([0.7; 10]; p_FDR = 0.056) in miR451a expression, a 3.6% decrement (95%CI [-6.1; -1.1]; p_FDR = 0.052) in miR-223-3p expression, a 3.8% decrement (95%CI[-6.8; -0.7]; p_FDR = 0.079) in miR-28-3p expression, a 4.3% decrement (95%CI [-7.7; -0.8]; p_FDR = 0.055) in miR-146a-5p expression, and a 4.0% decrement (95% CI[-7.4; -0.4]; p_FDR = 0.059) in miR-23a-5p expression. The difference between the two housekeeping microRNAs miR-93-5p and miR-191-5p was also associated with PM₁₀ and NO₂ exposure.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that circulating miRNAs are potentially valuable biomarkers of the effects of air pollution.

Air pollution exposure and auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system: a review of epidemiologic and mechanistic evidence

Auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be perceived as a spectrum of rheumatic diseases, with the joints and connective tissues are eroded severely that progressively develop chronic inflammation and lesion. A wide range of risk factors represented by genetic and environmental factors have been uncovered by population-based surveys and experimental studies. Lately, the exposure to air pollution has been found to be potentially involved in the mechanisms of occurrence or development of such diseases, principally manifest in oxidative stress, local and systemic inflammation, and epigenetic modifications, as well as the mitochondrial dysfunction, which has been reported to participate in the intermediate links. The lungs might serve as a starting area of air pollutants, which would cause oxidative stress-induced bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (iBALT) to further to influence T, B cells, and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The binding of aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to the corresponding contaminant ligands tends to regulate the reaction of Th17 and Tregs. Furthermore, air pollution components might spur on immune and inflammatory responses by damaging mitochondria that could interact with and exacerbate oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review, we focused on the association between air pollution and typical auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system, mainly including osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and aim to collate the mechanisms involved and the potential channels. A complete summary and in-depth understanding of the autoimmune and inflammatory effects of air pollution exposure should hopefully contribute new perspectives on how to formulate better public health policies to alleviate the adverse health effects of air pollutants.

Ambient air pollution and inflammation-related proteins during early childhood

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Experimental studies show that short-term exposure to air pollution may alter cytokine concentrations. There is, however, a lack of epidemiological studies evaluating the association between long-term air pollution exposure and inflammation-related proteins in young children. Our objective was to examine whether air pollution exposure is associated with inflammation-related proteins during the first 2 years of life.

METHODS

In a pooled analysis of two birth cohorts from Stockholm County (n = 158), plasma levels of 92 systemic inflammation-related proteins were measured by Olink Proseek Multiplex Inflammation panel at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years of age. Time-weighted average exposure to particles with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 μm (PM₁₀), <2.5 μm (PM_2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) at residential addresses from birth and onwards was estimated via validated dispersion models. Stratified by sex, longitudinal cross-referenced mixed effect models were applied to estimate the overall effect of preceding air pollution exposure on combined protein levels, "inflammatory proteome", over the first 2 years of life, followed by cross-sectional protein-specific bootstrapped quantile regression analysis.

RESULTS

We identified significant longitudinal associations of inflammatory proteome during the first 2 years of life with preceding PM_2.5 exposure, while consistent associations with PM₁₀ and NO₂ across ages were only observed among girls. Subsequent protein-specific analyses revealed significant associations of PM₁₀ exposure with an increase in IFN-gamma and IL-12B in boys, and a decrease in IL-8 in girls at different percentiles of proteins levels, at age 6 months. Several inflammation-related proteins were also significantly associated with preceding PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and NO₂ exposures, at ages 1 and 2 years, in a sex-specific manner.

CONCLUSIONS

Ambient air pollution exposure influences inflammation-related protein levels already during early childhood. Our results also suggest age- and sex-specific differences in the impact of air pollution on children's inflammatory profiles.

Overview of particulate air pollution and human health in China: Evidence, challenges, and opportunities

Ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution in China continues to be a major public health challenge. With the release of the new WHO air quality guidelines in 2021, there is an urgent need for China to contemplate a revision of air quality standards (AQS). In the recent decade, there has been an increase in epidemiological studies on PM in China. A comprehensive evaluation of such epidemiological evidence among the Chinese population is central for revision of the AQS in China and in other developing countries with similar air pollution problems. We thus conducted a systematic review on the epidemiological literature of PM published in the recent decade. In summary, we identified the following: (1) short-term and long-term PM exposure increase mortality and morbidity risk without a discernible threshold, suggesting the necessity for continuous improvement in air quality; (2) the magnitude of long-term associations with mortality observed in China are comparable with those in developed countries, whereas the magnitude of short-term associations are appreciably smaller; (3) governmental clean air policies and personalized mitigation measures are potentially effective in protecting public and individual health, but need to be validated using mortality or morbidity outcomes; (4) particles of smaller size range and those originating from fossil fuel combustion appear to show larger relative health risks; and (5) molecular epidemiological studies provide evidence for the biological plausibility and mechanisms underlying the hazardous effects of PM. This updated review may serve as an epidemiological basis for China’s AQS revision and proposes several perspectives in designing future health studies.

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Acute effects of PM are smaller in China compared with developed countries

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Health effects caused by PM depend on particle composition, source, and size

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There are no thresholds for the health effects of PM

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Mechanistic studies support the biological plausibility of PM’s health effects

Characterization of plasma-derived exosomal miRNA changes following traffic-related air pollution exposure: A randomized, crossover trial based on small RNA sequencing

BACKGROUND

The underlying mechanisms for health effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) are still unclear. Small RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in exosomes represents as a powerful approach to elucidate biological pathways in response to environmental exposure. We therefore aimed to explore impact of TRAP exposure on exosomal miRNAs.

METHODS

We performed a randomized, crossover study among 35 healthy college students in Shanghai, China. Participants were randomly assigned to 4-hour exposure in a traffic-polluted Road and in a traffic-free Park, respectively, intermitted by a washout period (at least 2 weeks). RNA-seq was conducted to identify plasma-derived exosomal miRNAs and the differential miRNAs were explored using linear mixed-effect models. Pathway enrichment was conducted using ingenuity pathway analysis. Further, we validated several selected miRNAs by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR).

RESULTS

The average concentrations of air pollutants including ultrafine particles, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide were 2-3 times higher in the Road compared to those in the Park. We identified 271 exosomal miRNAs (212 up-regulated and 59 down-regulated) that were significantly associated with TRAP. We found 5 miRNAs with 242 experimentally validated mRNA targets that were involved in cardiovascular pathway, cytokine signaling, and immune response. The ddPCR analysis suggested that miR-3612, miR-21-5p, and miR-195-5p were significantly changed following TRAP exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time this trial characterized the genome-wide changes of exosomal miRNA associated with TRAP exposure. The molecular profiling of exosomal miRNAs and "novel" associations of some miRNAs were useful for understanding on biological mechanisms for the adverse effects of TRAP.

Circulating microRNAs as putative mediators in the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and cardiovascular biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may mediate cardiovascular effects of exposure to air pollution. This study aims to investigate whether circulating miRNAs mediate the associations between short-term human exposure to ambient air pollution and cardiovascular biomarkers.

METHODS

Twenty-four healthy adults residing in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, USA were enrolled between December 2016 and July 2019. Circulating miRNAs, protein, and lipid biomarkers were assessed repeatedly for 3 sessions separated by at least 7 days. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the associations between air pollutant concentrations obtained from nearby air quality monitoring stations and miRNAs controlling for covariates including omega-3 index, relative humidity, and temperature. miRNAs that were significantly altered were then matched with protein or blood lipid biomarkers using either Ingenuity Pathway Analysis or a literature search. A mediation analysis was performed to test the statistical significance of miRNA's mediating effects between exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular biomarkers.

RESULTS

Short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), ozone (O₃), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) was associated with changes in 11, 9, and 24 circulating miRNAs, respectively. Pathway analysis showed that several miRNAs including miR-125b-5p, miR-144-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-34a-5p may mediate the effects of air pollutant exposure on the changes of downstream protein / lipid biomarkers including serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble vascular adhesive molecules 1 (sICAM1), total cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Mediation analysis showed that only miR-26a-5p significantly mediated air pollutant (PM_2.5 and NO₂)-induced effects on blood CRP and total cholesterol levels. For example, 34.1% of PM_2.5-associated changes in CRP were significantly mediated by miR-26a-5p at lag4 [indirect effects, 0.06 (0.02, 0.10), P = 0.005]. Similarly, the proportions of indirect effects of miR-26a-5p on the association between NO₂ exposure and CRP were 46.8% at lag2 [0.06 (0.02, 0.11), P = 0.003], 61.2% at lag3 [0.05 (0.00, 0.09), P = 0.04], and 30.8% at 5-day moving average [0.06 (0.02, 0.10), P = 0.01]. In addition, omega-3 index may be a significant modifying factor of the mediated effects of miRNAs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that short-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5, O₃, and NO₂ was associated with specific circulating miRNAs, and some of which may mediate their effects on the downstream inflammation and blood lipid markers.

Maternal exposure to PM2.5/BC during pregnancy predisposes children to allergic rhinitis which varies by regions and exclusive breastfeeding

BACKGROUND

Increasing prevalence of childhood allergic rhinitis(AR) needs a deeper understanding on the potential adverse effects of early life exposure to air pollution.

OBJECTIVES

The main aim was to evaluate the effects of maternal exposure to PM_2.5 and chemical constituents during pregnancy on preschool children's AR, and further to explore the modification effects of regions and exclusive breastfeeding.

METHODS

A multi-center population-based study was performed in 6 cities from 3 regions of China in 2011-2012. Maternal exposure to ambient PM_2.5 and main chemical constituents(BC, OM, SO₄^2-, NO₃^-, NH₄⁺) during pregnancy was assessed and a longitudinal prospective analysis was applied on preschool children's AR. The modification effects of regions and exclusive breastfeeding were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 8.8% and 9.8% of children reported doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis(DDAR) and current hay fever, respectively, and 48.6% had less than 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. The means of PM_2.5 during pregnancy were 52.7 μg/m³, 70.3 μg/m³ and 76.4 μg/m³ in the east, north and central south of China, respectively. Multilevel log-binomial model regression showed that each interquartile range(IQR) increase of PM_2.5 during pregnancy was associated with an average increase in prevalence ratio (PR) of DDAR by 1.43(95% confidence interval(CI): 1.11, 1.84) and current hay fever by 1.79(95% CI: 1.26, 2.55), respectively. Among chemical constituents, black carbon (BC) had the strongest associations. Across 3 regions, the eastern cities had the highest associations, followed by those in the central south and the north. For those equal to or longer than 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, the associations were significantly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

Children in east of China had the highest risks of developing AR per unit increase of maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy, especially BC constituent. Remarkable decline was found in association with an increase in breastfeeding for ≥6 months, in particular in east of China.

Influence of air pollutants on circulating inflammatory cells and microRNA expression in acute myocardial infarction

Air pollutants increase the risk and mortality of myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory changes in circulating immune cells and microRNAs in MIs related to short-term exposure to air pollutants. We studied 192 patients with acute coronary syndromes and 57 controls with stable angina. For each patient, air pollution exposure in the 24-h before admission, was collected. All patients underwent systematic circulating inflammatory cell analyses. According to PM_2.5 exposure, 31 patients were selected for microRNA analyses. STEMI patients exposed to PM_2.5 showed a reduction of CD4⁺ regulatory T cells. Furthermore, in STEMI patients the exposure to PM_2.5 was associated with an increase of miR-146a-5p and miR-423-3p. In STEMI and NSTEMI patients PM_2.5 exposure was associated with an increase of miR-let-7f-5p. STEMI related to PM_2.5 short-term exposure is associated with changes involving regulatory T cells, miR-146a-5p and miR-423-3p.

Epigenetic alterations induced by genotoxic occupational and environmental human chemical carcinogens: An update of a systematic literature review

Epigenetic alterations, such as changes in DNA methylation, histones/chromatin structure, nucleosome positioning, and expression of non-coding RNAs, are recognized among key characteristics of carcinogens; they may occur independently or concomitantly with genotoxic effects. While data on genotoxicity are collected through standardized guideline tests, data collected on epigenetic effects is far less uniform. In 2016, we conducted a systematic review of published studies of genotoxic carcinogens that reported epigenetic endpoints to better understand the evidence for epigenetic alterations of human carcinogens, and the potential association with genotoxic endpoints. Since then, the number of studies of epigenetic effects of chemicals has nearly doubled. This review stands as an update on epigenetic alterations induced by occupational and environmental human carcinogens that were previously and recently classified as Group 1 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We found that the evidence of epigenetic effects remains uneven across agents. Studies of DNA methylation are most abundant, while reports concerning effects on non-coding RNA have increased over the past 5 years. By contrast, mechanistic toxicology studies of histone modifications and chromatin state alterations remain few. We found that most publications of epigenetic effects of carcinogens were studies in exposed humans or human cells. Studies in rodents represent the second most common species used for epigenetic studies in toxicology, in vivo exposures being the most predominant. Future studies should incorporate dose- and time-dependent study designs and also investigate the persistence of effects following cessation of exposure, considering the dynamic nature of most epigenetic alterations.

Particulate Matter-Induced Acute Coronary Syndrome: MicroRNAs as Microregulators for Inflammatory Factors

The most prevalent cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide is acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its consequences. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) from air pollution has been shown to impair both. Various plausible pathogenic mechanisms have been identified, including microRNAs (miRNAs), an epigenetic regulator for gene expression. Endogenous miRNAs, average 22-nucleotide RNAs (ribonucleic acid), regulate gene expression through mRNA cleavage or translation repression and can influence proinflammatory gene expression posttranscriptionally. However, little is known about miRNA responses to fine PM (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, ultrafine particles, black carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) from air pollution and their potential contribution to cardiovascular consequences, including systemic inflammation regulation. For the past decades, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as novel, prospective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various illnesses, including ACS. We wanted to outline some of the most important studies in the field and address the possible utility of miRNAs in regulating particulate matter-induced ACS (PMIA) on inflammatory factors in this review.

Effective-component compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula protects COPD rats against PM2.5-induced oxidative stress via miR-155/FOXO3a pathway

Ambient particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5) has been identified as a critical risk factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, but therapies for this condition are limited. Effective-component compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula (ECC-BYF) exhibits beneficial efficacy on COPD rats. However, its effect on PM2.5-aggravated COPD rats are considered to be uncertain. In this study, we used an established PM2.5-aggravated COPD rat model in vivo to evaluate the protective effect of ECC-BYF, and focused on its antioxidative role in PM2.5-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells via regulating microRNA (miR)-155/ forkhead box class O3a (FOXO3a) pathway. As expected, PM2.5-aggravated COPD rats showed a reduction of lung function, persistent lung inflammation, and remodeling of lung tissue. In comparison, ECC-BYF administration significantly enhanced lung function, alleviated alveolar destruction, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus hypersecretion, and collagen deposition, along with diminishing inflammatory cytokine production and oxidative stress. Furthermore, ECC-BYF pretreatment markedly decreased the fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PM2.5-induced human bronchial epithelial (Beas-2B) cells and primary mouse tracheal epithelial cells (MTECs), as well as reversing the imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in Beas-2B. Meanwhile, ECC-BYF elevated FOXO3a while inhibiting miR-155 expression dose -dependently. In vitro transfection of miR-155 mimic into Beas-2B significantly decreased FOXO3a protein expression, accompanied by the reduced superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and catalase (CAT) expressions, thus eliminating the protective effect of ECC-BYF on PM2.5-evoked oxidative stress. Nonethless, FOXO3a overexpression could partially restore the antioxidative effect of ECC-BYF. In conclusion, ECC-BYF can protect pre-existing COPD against PM2.5 contamination by exerting a profound antioxidative influence via regulating miR-155/FOXO3a signaling.

Air pollution-induced epigenetic changes: disease development and a possible link with hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Air pollution is a serious threat to our health and has become one of the major causes of many diseases including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. The association between air pollution and various diseases has long been a topic of research interest. However, it remains unclear how air pollution actually impacts health by modulating several important cellular functions. Recently, some evidence has emerged about air pollution-induced epigenetic changes, which are linked with the etiology of various human diseases. Among several epigenetic modifications, DNA methylation represents the most prominent epigenetic alteration underlying the air pollution-induced pathogenic mechanism. Several other types of epigenetic changes, such as histone modifications, miRNA, and non-coding RNA expression, have also been found to have been linked with air pollution. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), one of the most prevalent forms of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), is triggered by the inhalation of certain organic and inorganic substances. HP is characterized by inflammation in the tissues around the lungs' airways and may lead to irreversible lung scarring over time. This review, in addition to other diseases, attempts to understand whether certain pollutants influence HP development through such epigenetic modifications.

Epigenome-wide DNA methylation signature of benzo[a]pyrene exposure and their mediation roles in benzo[a]pyrene-associated lung cancer development

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a typical carcinogen associated with increased lung cancer risk, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate epigenome-wide DNA methylation associated with B[a]P exposure and their mediation effects on B[a]P-lung cancer association in two lung cancer case-control studies of 462 subjects. Their plasma levels of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-albumin (BPDE-Alb) adducts and genome-wide DNA methylations were separately detected in peripheral blood by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and genome-wide methylation arrays. The epigenome-wide meta-analysis was performed to analyze the associations between BPDE-Alb adducts and DNA methylations. Mediation analysis was applied to assess effect of DNA methylation on the B[a]P-lung cancer association. We identified 15 CpGs associated with BPDE-Alb adducts (P_-meta < 1.0 × 10^-5), among which the methylation levels at five loci (cg06245338, cg24256211, cg15107887, cg02211741, and cg04354393 annotated to UBE2O, SAMD4A, ACBD6, DGKZ, and SLFN13, respectively) mediated a separate 38.5%, 29.2%, 41.5%, 47.7%, 56.5%, and a joint 58.2% of the association between BPDE-Alb adducts and lung cancer risk. Compared to the traditional factors [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.788], addition of these CpGs exerted improved discriminations for lung cancer, with AUC ranging 0.828-0.861. Our results highlight DNA methylation alterations as potential mediators in lung tumorigenesis induced by B[a]P exposure.

Real-world particulate matters induce lung toxicity in rats fed with a high-fat diet: Evidence of histone modifications

Exposure to ambient particulate matters (PMs) has been associated with a variety of lung diseases, and high-fat diet (HFD) was reported to exacerbate PM-induced lung dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanisms for the combined effects of HFD and PM on lung functions remain poorly unraveled. By performing a comparative proteomic analysis, the current study investigated the global changes of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) in rat lung exposed to long-term, real-world PMs. In result, after PM exposure the abundance of four individual histone PTMs (1 down-regulated and 3 up-regulated) and six combinatorial PTMs (1 down-regulated and 5 up-regulated) were significantly altered in HFD-fed rats while only one individual PTM was changed in rats with normal diet (ND) feeding. Histones H3K18ac, H4K8ac and H4K12ac were reported to be associated with DNA damage response, and we found that these PTMs were enhanced by PM in HFD-fed rats. Together with the elevated DNA damage levels in rat lungs following PM and HFD co-exposure, we demonstrate that PM exposure combined with HFD could induce lung injury through altering more histone modifications accompanied by DNA damage. Overall, these findings will augment our knowledge of the epigenetic mechanisms for pulmonary toxicity caused by ambient PM and HFD exposure.

Adipose Tissue Redox Microenvironment as a Potential Link between Persistent Organic Pollutants and the 16-Year Incidence of Non-hormone-Dependent Cancer

We aimed to assess the relationships among the adipose tissue's (AT) oxidative microenvironment, in situ accumulated persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations, and cancer development. POP and oxidative stress levels were quantified in AT samples from 382 adults recruited within the GraMo cohort (2003-2004) in Granada (Spain). The 16-year cancer incidence was ascertained by reviewing health/administrative databases. Cox-regression models and mediation analyses were performed. The enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GRd) were positively associated with the risk of non-hormone-dependent (NHD) cancer [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.76; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17, 2.64 and HR 2.35; 95% CI: 1.41, 3.94, respectively]. After adjustment for covariates, polychlorinated biphenyl-138 (PCB-138) (HR 1.78; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.09), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) (HR 1.70; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.64), and hexachlorobenzene (HR 1.54; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.33) were also positively associated with the risk of NHD cancer. Although confidence intervals included the null value, probably because of the modest number of cancer cases, we observed a potential mediation effect of SOD and GRd on the associations between β-HCH and the risk of NHD tumors (percent mediated = 33 and 47%, respectively). Our results highlight the relevance of human AT's oxidative microenvironment as a predictor of future cancer risk as well as its potential mediating role on POP-related carcinogenesis. Given their novelty, these findings should be interpreted with caution and confirmed in future studies.

In vivo respiratory toxicology of cooking oil fumes: Evidence, mechanisms and prevention

BACKGROUND

As cooking is an essential part of people's daily life, cooking oil fumes (COF) has been recognized as one of the major indoor air pollutant. Mounting epidemiological evidence has indicated that COF exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of various health effects including lung cancer, but toxicological studies are very limited.

OBJECTIVES

We conduct a systematic study to provide toxicological evidence of COF exposure on the lungs, to examine the underlying toxicological mechanism, and to suggest intervention measures to mitigate this toxicity.

METHODS

A total 96 female rats were randomly divided into control groups, COF exposure groups (0.2, 2, 20 mg/kg) and vitamin E protection groups, receiving appropriate treatment for 30 days. First we measured airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) followed by a lung histological analysis to investigate the toxicological effects of COF. We next analyzed the biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis to examine the underlying toxicological mechanism, and finally we investigated the protective effects of vitamin E against the toxicity of COF.

RESULTS

AHR measurement indicated that the airway resistance increased with the COF dose and the lung histological assay showed narrowing of the airway lumen, which provided evidence of the toxicological effects of COF. The biomarkers of oxidative stress (ROS and MDA), pro-inflammation (TNF-α and IL-1β), and apoptosis (NF-κB and Caspase-3) were all significantly increased with COF dose. We observed that above toxicological effects and biomarker levels induced by COF were significantly ameliorated after administration of VE.

CONCLUSION

The toxicity of cooking oil fumes on the lungs is clear from the evidence and mechanism, and can be ameliorated by vitamin E. We suggested that oxidative stress may be primarily responsible for the observed cooking oil fumes-induced toxicity.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter and serum club cell secretory protein change among schoolchildren: A molecular epidemiology study

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture containing various kinds of harmful components. Exposure to air PM is associated with childhood respiratory disease, but epidemiological data are limited concerning the circulating respiratory injury protein on the etiology of childhood respiratory disease. Specifically, the role of PM toxic components or its biological effective dose (adduct) in respiratory injury remains unclear. To demonstrate the dose-response relationship and the main mechanism on circulating club cell secretory protein (CC16) from PM compositions among children, we enrolled 273 boarding schoolchildren in China, including 110 and 163 children of whom were in the low- and high-PM exposed areas, respectively. In this study, we measured the internal exposure levels, including serum polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) adduct, urinary metals, and AhR expression, and detected the serum CC16 level as a lung injury marker. Environmental tobacco exposure in children was assessed by urinary cotinine. We found that significantly higher levels of serum CC16, benzo[a]pyridin-7,8-dihydroglycol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE)-albumin adduct, urinary molybdenum, selenium, arsenic, cadmium and barium, and lower level of AhR expression in high-PM exposed group. There was a good association between serum BPDE-albumin adduct and CC16 (β = 0.222, P = 0.006). There was no association on urinary metals and serum CC16. BPDE-albumin adduct was directly associated with serum CC16 alternation [direct effect = 0.2044, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (0.0426, 0.36)]. PM could cause serum CC16 increased in children. PAH and its adduct might play a key role in lung injury during PM exposure.

Dysfunctional Rhbdf2 of proopiomelanocortin mitigates ambient particulate matter exposure-induced neurological injury and neuron loss by antagonizing oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction

Ambient particulate matter (PM_2.5)-induced metabolic syndromes is a critical contributor to the pathological processes of neurological diseases, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The rhomboid 5 homolog 2 (Rhbdf2), an essential regulator in the production of TNF-α, has recently been confirmed to exhibit a key role in regulating inflammation-associated diseases. Thus, we examined whether Rhbdf2 contributes to hypothalamic inflammation via NF-κB associated inflammation activation in long-term PM_2.5-exposed mice. Specifically, proopiomelanocortin-specific Rhbdf2 deficiency (Rhbdf2^Pomc) and corresponding littermates control mice were used for the current study. After 24 weeks of PM_2.5 inhalation, systemic-metabolism disorder was confirmed in WT mice in terms of impaired glucose tolerance, increased insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. Markedly, PM_2.5-treated Rhbdf2^Pomc mice displayed a significantly opposite trend in these parameters compared with those of the controls group. We next confirmed hypothalamic injury accompanied by abnormal POMC neurons loss, as indicated by increased inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and oxidative-stress levels and decreased antioxidant activity. These results were further supported by blood routine examination. In summary, our findings suggest that Rhbdf2 plays an important role in exacerbating PM_2.5-stimulated POMC neurons loss associated hypothalamic injury, thus providing a possible target for blocking pathological development of air pollution-associated diseases.

Epigenetic signatures underlying inflammation: an interplay of nutrition, physical activity, metabolic diseases, and environmental factors for personalized nutrition

Aim and objective

Emerging translational evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations (DNA methylation, miRNA expression, and histone modifications) occur after external stimuli and may contribute to exacerbated inflammation and the risk of suffering several diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the harmful effects of high-fat/high-sugar diets, micronutrient deficiencies (folate, manganese, and carotenoids), obesity and associated complications, bacterial/viral infections, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, chronic stress, air pollution, and chemical exposure on inflammation through epigenetic mechanisms. Additionally, the epigenetic phenomena underlying the anti-inflammatory potential of caloric restriction, n-3 PUFA, Mediterranean diet, vitamin D, zinc, polyphenols (i.e., resveratrol, gallic acid, epicatechin, luteolin, curcumin), and the role of systematic exercise are discussed.

Methods

Original and review articles encompassing epigenetics and inflammation were screened from major databases (including PubMed, Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, etc.) and analyzed for the writing of the review paper.

Conclusion

Although caution should be exercised, research on epigenetic mechanisms is contributing to understand pathological processes involving inflammatory responses, the prediction of disease risk based on the epigenotype, as well as the putative design of therapeutic interventions targeting the epigenome.

Micro-RNAs: Crossroads between the Exposure to Environmental Particulate Pollution and the Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Environmental pollution has reached a global echo and represents a serious problem for human health. Air pollution encompasses a set of hazardous substances, such as particulate matter and heavy metals (e.g., cadmium, lead, and arsenic), and has a strong impact on the environment by affecting groundwater, soil, and air. An adaptive response to environmental cues is essential for human survival, which is associated with the induction of adaptive phenotypes. The epigenetic mechanisms regulating the expression patterns of several genes are promising candidates to provide mechanistic and prognostic insights into this. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) fulfil these features given their ability to respond to environmental factors and their critical role in determining phenotypes. These molecules are present in extracellular fluids, and their expression patterns are organ-, tissue-, or cell-specific. Moreover, the experimental settings for their quantitative and qualitative analysis are robust, standardized, and inexpensive. In this review, we provide an update on the role of miRNAs as suitable tools for understanding the mechanisms behind the physiopathological response to toxicants and the prognostic value of their expression pattern associable with specific exposures. We look at the mechanistic evidence associable to the role of miRNAs in the processes leading to environmental-induced pulmonary disease (i.e., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).