Project description:Genomewide DNA methylation profiling of saline, diesel exhaust particiles and house dust mite treated human airway epithelial cells. Methylation profiles were generated by the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC beadchips.
Project description:Human BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells were exposed directly at the air-liquid interphase towards exhaust gas and particles of a ship engine. The goal was to compare the responses towards different fuel combustions. The engine run either on diesel fuel (DF) or on Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO).
Project description:Although desert dust is known to cause increased respiratory morbidity and mortality, the underlying biological pathways remain unclear. We used RNA-seq on an advanced human alveolar in vitro model to find yet unidentified genes dysregulated by Saharan dust exposure. For comparison, DQ12 quartz dust was used as a well-established pulmonary toxicant. Co-cultures of A549 cells and phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-differentiated THP-1 cells were cultivated at the air-liquid interface (ALI) for one day before exposure. For exposure, a Vitrocell Cloud 12α system was used. In the exposure chamber, SD or DQ12 suspensions were nebulized onto ALI co-cultures. In parallel, in the control chamber, the vehicle was nebulized onto ALI co-cultures. After exposure for 24 h, RNA was isolated and used for RNA-seq.
Project description:Background: Epidemiologic associations between acutely increased cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality and particulate air pollution are well-established, but the effects of acute pollution exposure on human gene expression changes are not well understood. Objectives: In order to identify potential mechanisms underlying epidemiologic associations between air pollution and morbidity, we explored changes in gene expression in humans following inhalation of fresh diesel exhaust (DE), a model for particulate air pollution. Methods: 14 ethnically homogeneous (white males), young, healthy subjects underwent sixty minute inhalation exposures on 2 separate days with clean air (CA) or freshly generated and diluted DE at a concentration of 300 μg/m3 PM2.5. Prior to and 24 hours following each session, whole blood was sampled and fractionated for PBMC isolation, RNA extraction, and generation of cDNA, followed by hybridization with Agilent Whole Human Genome (4X44K) arrays. Results: Oxidative stress and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway, as well as the coagulation system, were among hypothesized pathways identified by analysis of differentially expressed genes. Nine genes from these pathways were validated using real-time PCR comparing fold change in expression between DE exposed and clean (CA) days. Quantitative gene fold changes generated by real-time PCR were consistent with the directional fold changes from the microarray analysis. Conclusions: Changes in gene expression connected with key oxidative stress, protein degradation, and coagulation pathways are likely to underlie observed physiologic and clinical outcomes and suggest specific avenues and sensitive time points for further physiologic exploration. Diesel exhaust inhalation exposure-induced human gene expression changes were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. 14 white males subjects were seated in a controlled environment facility for 2 separate 60 minute inhalation exposures which occurred at least 1 week apart to either clean air and freshly generate or diluted diesel exhaust (300ug/m3 PM2.5) .Blood collection occurred immediately prior to and 24 hours following exposures. Two microarrays per subject were completed using Agilent Whole Human Genome (4X44K) arrays. Genes that were of interest to our research group were verified using Real Time PCR analysis.
Project description:There is an emerging concern that particulate air pollution increases the risk of cranial nerve disease onset. Small nanoparticles, mainly derived from diesel exhaust particles reach the olfactory bulb by their nasal depositions. It has been reported that diesel exhaust inhalation causes inflammation of the olfactory bulb and other brain regions. However, these toxicological studies have not evaluated animal rearing environment. We hypothesized that rearing environment can change mice phenotypes and thus might alter toxicological study results. In this study, we exposed mice to diesel exhaust inhalation at 90 micro g/m3, 8 hours/day, for 28 consecutive days after rearing in a standard cage or environmental enrichment conditions. Microarray analysis found that expression levels of 112 genes were changed by diesel exhaust inhalation. Functional analysis using Gene Ontology revealed that the dysregulated genes were involved in inflammation and immune response. This result was supported by pathway analysis. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed 10 genes. Interestingly, background gene expression of the olfactory bulb of mice reared in a standard cage environment was changed by diesel exhaust inhalation, whereas there was no significant effect of diesel exhaust exposure on gene expression levels of mice reared with environmental enrichment. The results indicate for the first time that the effect of diesel exhaust exposure on gene expression of the olfactory bulb was influenced by rearing environment. Rearing environment, such as environmental enrichment, may be an important contributive factor to causation in evaluating still undefined toxic environmental substances such as diesel exhaust. RNA sample was taken from olfactory bulb of 56-day-old mouse received diesel exhaust (DE) inhalation at 90 micro g/m3, 8 hours/day, for 28 consecutive days, while control RNA was taken from mouse received clean air, after rearing in a standard cage or environmental enrichment conditions. Comparisons among groups were made by one-color method with normalized data from Cy3 channels for data analysis.
Project description:Air pollution is an environmental risk factor linked to multiple human diseases including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While particulate matter (PM) emitted by diesel exhaust damages multiple organ systems, heart disease is one of the most severe pathologies affected by PM. However, the in vivo effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on the heart and the molecular mechanisms of DEP-induced heart dysfunction have not been investigated. In the current study, we attempted to identify the proteomic signatures of heart fibrosis caused by diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in CVDs-prone apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/-) mice model using tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic analysis. DEP exposure induced mild heart fibrosis in ApoE-/- mice compared with severe heart fibrosis in ApoE-/- mice that were treated with CVDs-inducing peptide, angiotensin II. TMT-based quantitative proteomic analysis of heart tissues between PBS- and DEP-treated ApoE-/- mice revealed significant upregulation of proteins associated with platelet activation and TGFβ-dependent pathways. Our data suggest that DEP exposure could induce heart fibrosis, potentially via platelet-related pathways and TGFβ induction, causing cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction.
Project description:BackgroundHealth surveillance of murine colonies employed for scientific purposes aim at detecting unwanted infection that can affect the well-being of animals and personnel, and potentially undermine scientific results. In this study, we investigated the use of a next-generation sequencing (NGS) metagenomic approach for monitoring the microbiota composition and uncovering the possible presence of pathogens in mice housed in specific pathogen-free (SPF) or conventional (non-SPF) facilities.ResultsAnalysis of metagenomic NGS assay through public and free algorithms and databases allowed to precisely assess the composition of mouse gut microbiome and quantify the contribution of the different microorganisms at the species level. Sequence analysis allowed the uncovering of pathogens or the presence of imbalances in the microbiota composition. In several cases, fecal pellets taken from conventional facilities were found to carry gene sequences from bacterial pathogens (Helicobacter hepaticus, Helicobacter typhlonius, Chlamydia muridarum, Streptococcus pyogenes, Rodentibacter pneumotropicus, Citrobacter rodentium, Staphylococcus aureus), intestinal protozoa (Entamoeba muris, Tritrichomonas muris, Spironucleus muris) nematoda (Aspiculuris tetraptera, Syphacia obvelata), eukaryotic parasites (Myocoptes musculinus) and RNA virus (Norwalk virus). Thus, the use of NGS metagenomics can reduce the number of tests required for the detection of pathogens and avoid the use of sentinel mice.ConclusionsIn summary, in comparison with standard approaches, which require multiple types of test, NGS assay can detect bacteria, fungi, DNA and RNA viruses, and eukaryotic parasites from fecal pellets in a single test. Considering the need to protect animal well-being and to improve the success and reproducibility of preclinical studies, this work provides the proof-of-concept that the use of NGS metagenomics for health monitoring of laboratory mice is a feasible and dependable approach, that is able to broaden the current concept of health monitoring of laboratory mice from "pathogen surveillance" to a more inclusive "microbiota surveillance".