Indoor microbial exposure increases complement component C3a and C-reactive protein concentrations in serum

Outi Karhuvaara; Liisa Vilén; Jari Nuutila; Tuula Putus; Janne Atosuo

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24104

Indoor microbial exposure increases complement component C3a and C-reactive protein concentrations in serum

Heliyon. 2024 Jan 8;10(2):e24104. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24104. eCollection 2024 Jan 30.

Authors

Outi Karhuvaara^{1

2}, Liisa Vilén², Jari Nuutila¹, Tuula Putus², Janne Atosuo^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ The Laboratory of Immunochemistry, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
² Environmental Medicine and Occupational Health, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

Abstract

Indoor exposure to microbial growth, caused by moisture damage, has been an established health risk for several decades. It is likely that a damp indoor environment contains biological pollutants that trigger both the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system. In this study, we investigated the association between moisture damage related microbial exposure and serum C3a, C5a and CRP concentrations in Finnish adults. Serum C3a and CRP concentrations were elevated in individuals exposed to moisture damage and microbial growth in an indoor air environment. The elevated concentrations may be due to environmental factors present in moisture-damaged buildings. Complement activation and the resulting proinflammatory cleavage products may be a driving factor in inflammatory responses following exposure to indoor moisture damage and related microbial growth.

Keywords: Anaphylatoxins; C-reactive protein; Complement; Inflammation; Moisture damage.