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Title: Interactive effects of cerium oxide and diesel exhaust nanoparticles on inducing pulmonary fibrosis

Journal Article · · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26505 (United States)
  2. School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 (United States)

Cerium compounds have been used as a fuel-borne catalyst to lower the generation of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), but are emitted as cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO{sub 2}) along with DEP in the diesel exhaust. The present study investigates the effects of the combined exposure to DEP and CeO{sub 2} on the pulmonary system in a rat model. Specific pathogen-free male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to CeO{sub 2} and/or DEP via a single intratracheal instillation and were sacrificed at various time points post-exposure. This investigation demonstrated that CeO{sub 2} induces a sustained inflammatory response, whereas DEP elicits a switch of the pulmonary immune response from Th1 to Th2. Both CeO{sub 2} and DEP activated AM and lymphocyte secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-12 and IFN-γ, respectively. However, only DEP enhanced the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 production in response to ex vivo LPS or Concanavalin A challenge that was not affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2}, suggesting that DEP suppresses host defense capability by inducing the Th2 immunity. The micrographs of lymph nodes show that the particle clumps in DEP + CeO{sub 2} were significantly larger than CeO{sub 2} or DEP, exhibiting dense clumps continuous throughout the lymph nodes. Morphometric analysis demonstrates that the localization of collagen in the lung tissue after DEP + CeO{sub 2} reflects the combination of DEP-exposure plus CeO{sub 2}-exposure. At 4 weeks post-exposure, the histological features demonstrated that CeO{sub 2} induced lung phospholipidosis and fibrosis. DEP induced lung granulomas that were not significantly affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2} in the combined exposure. Using CeO{sub 2} as diesel fuel catalyst may cause health concerns. - Highlights: • DEP induced acute lung inflammation and switched immune response from Th1 to Th2. • DEP induced lung granulomas were not affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2}. • CeO{sub 2} induced sustained lung inflammation, phospholipidosis, and fibrosis. • After the combined exposure, CeO{sub 2} and DEP are co-localized in the lung tissues. • CeO{sub 2} + DEP induced lung inflammation, phospholipidosis, granulomas, and fibrosis.

OSTI ID:
22439785
Journal Information:
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 278, Issue 2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0041-008X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English