Project description:The objective of the study was to characterize distinct endotypes of asthma related to damp and moldy buildings and to evaluate the potential molecular similarities with idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). The nasal biopsy transcriptome of 88 study subjects was profiled using samples obtained at baseline.
Project description:The objective of the study was to characterize distinct endotypes of asthma related to damp and moldy buildings and to evaluate the potential molecular similarities with idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). The blood cell transcriptome of 88 study subjects was profiled using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples obtained at baseline.
Project description:Swine confinement buildings (SCBs) represent workplaces with high biological air pollution. It is suspected that individual components of inhalable air are causatives of chronic respiratory disease that are regularly detected among workers. In order to understand the relationship between exposure and stress, the aim of this study was to develop a method to investigate the components of bioaerosols in more detail. For this purpose, bioaerosols from pig barns were collected on quartz filters from two exclusively housed pig types (porkers and gestating sows) and subsequently analyzed via a combinatorial approach of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and metaproteomics. The workflow helps to clarify diversity in bioaerosols from a taxonomic perspective, but also from a functional perspective.
Project description:We report genes that are differentially expressed in wild type and nhr-45 mutant C. elegans that were grown in the presence or absence of the mold Penicillium brevicopactum
Project description:Background - Multiple health effects are associated with moisture damage in buildings. Studies explaining these associations and cell-level mechanisms behind the observed health effects are urgently called for. Objectives - Alongside general toxicological markers, we focused on characterizing gene expression in human airway epithelium after exposure to indoor air particulate matter (PM) sampled from houses with and without moisture damage. Methods - We performed detailed technical building inspections in 25 residential houses and categorized them based on the detection of moisture damages and the probability of occupant exposure. PM sampling was complemented by microbiological and volatile organic compound assessment. We exposed airway constructs to three doses (1:16, 1:8, 1:4) of PM from moisture-damaged (index) and non-moisture-damaged (reference) houses. The RNA of exposed constructs was sequenced targeting toxicology -related genes. We did groupwise comparisons between index and reference houses and pairwise comparisons in matched index/reference houses. We analyzed general toxicological markers and imaged the constructs with electron microscopy. Results - In pairwise comparison, several genes were differentially expressed. Genes related to multiple toxicological pathways were highlighted, while none of the genes was consistently expressed in all the comparisons. In groupwise comparison, CYP1A1 was statistically significantly over-expressed in index houses at all doses (dose 1:16 log2FC = 0.007, padj = 0.03; dose 1:8 log2FC = 0.077, padj = 0.018; dose 1:4 log2FC = 0.270, padj = 0.002) and NFKB1 at the highest dose 1:4 (log2FC = 0.124, padj = 0.029). General toxicological markers did not separate the index/reference houses. Discussion - The exposure to PM from index houses activates toxicology -related genes in airway constructs. While differential expression was not consistent among all the index/reference pairs, possibly due to compositional differences of bioactive particles, our study highlights CYP1A1 and NFKB1 as potential targets in moisture damage -associated cellular responses.
Project description:Indoor dampness and mold are prevalent, and the exposure has been associated with various illnesses such as the exacerbation of existing asthma, asthma development, current asthma, ever-diagnosed asthma, bronchitis, respiratory infection, allergic rhinitis, dyspnea, wheezing, cough, upper respiratory symptoms, and eczema. However, assessing exposures or environments in damp and moldy buildings/rooms, especially by collecting and analyzing environmental samples for microbial agents, is complicated. Nonetheless, observational assessment (visual and olfactory inspection) has been demonstrated as an effective method for evaluating indoor dampness and mold. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health developed an observational assessment method called the Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool (DMAT). The DMAT uses a semi-quantitative approach to score the level of dampness and mold-related damage (mold odor, water damage/stains, visible mold, and wetness/dampness) by intensity or size for each of the room components (ceiling, walls, windows, floor, furnishings, ventilation system, pipes, and supplies and materials). Total or average room scores and factor-or component-specific scores can be calculated for data analysis. Because the DMAT uses a semi-quantitative scoring method, it better differentiates the level of damage compared to the binary (presence or absence of damage) approach. Thus, our DMAT provides useful information on identifying dampness and mold, tracking and comparing past and present damage by the scores, and prioritizing remediation to avoid potential adverse health effects in occupants. This protocol-type article describes the DMAT and demonstrates how to apply it to effectively manage indoor dampness and mold-related damage.