Chemical and microbial components of urban air PM cause seasonal variation of toxicological activity

Pasi I Jalava; Mikko S Happo; Kati Huttunen; Markus Sillanpää; Risto Hillamo; Raimo O Salonen; Maija-Riitta Hirvonen

doi:10.1016/j.etap.2015.06.023

Chemical and microbial components of urban air PM cause seasonal variation of toxicological activity

Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2015 Sep;40(2):375-87. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2015.06.023. Epub 2015 Jul 3.

Authors

Pasi I Jalava¹, Mikko S Happo², Kati Huttunen², Markus Sillanpää³, Risto Hillamo³, Raimo O Salonen⁴, Maija-Riitta Hirvonen⁵

Affiliations

¹ University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental Science, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland. Electronic address: Pasi.Jalava@uef.fi.
² University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental Science, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
³ Finnish Meteorological Institute, Air Quality Research, PO Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Environmental Health, PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland.
⁵ University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental Science, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Environmental Health, PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland.

PMID: 26245811
DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2015.06.023

Abstract

The chemical and microbial composition of urban air particulate matter (PM) displays seasonal variation that may affect its harmfulness on human health. We studied the in vitro inflammatory and cellular metabolic activity/cytotoxicity of urban air particulate samples collected in four size-ranges (PM10-2.5, PM2.5-1, PM1-0.2, PM0.2) during four seasons in relatively clean urban environment in Helsinki, Finland. The composition of the same samples were analyzed, including ions, elements, PAH compounds and endotoxins. In addition, microbial contribution on the detected responses was studied by inhibiting the endotoxin-induced responses with Polymyxin B both in the PM samples and by two different bacterial strains representing Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) was exposed to the size segregated particulate samples as well as to microbe samples for 24h and markers of inflammation and cytotoxicity were analyzed. The toxicological responses were dependent on the dose as well as size range of the particles, PM10-2.5 being the most potent and smaller size ranges having significantly smaller responses. Samples collected during spring and autumn had in most cases the highest inflammatory activity. Soil components and other non-exhaust particulate emissions from road traffic correlated with inflammatory responses in coarse particles. Instead, PAH-compounds and K(+) had negative associations with the particle-induced inflammatory responses in fine particles, suggesting the role of incomplete biomass combustion. Endotoxin content was the highest in PM10-2.5 samples and correspondingly, the largest decrease in the responses by Polymyxin B was seen with the very same samples. We found also that inhibitory effect of Polymyxin B was not completely specific for Gram-negative bacteria. Thus, in addition to endotoxin, also other microbial components may have a significant effect on the toxicological responses by ambient particulate matter.

Keywords: Emission sources; Endotoxin; Inflammation; Particulate matter; Road dust; Seasonal variation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / chemistry*
Air Pollutants / toxicity*
Animals
Cell Line
Cell Survival / drug effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Endotoxins / toxicity
Finland
Humans
In Vitro Techniques
Interleukin-6 / metabolism
Macrophages / drug effects*
Macrophages / immunology
Mice
Particle Size
Particulate Matter / chemistry*
Particulate Matter / toxicity*
Polymyxin B / pharmacology
Seasons
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
Urban Health

Substances

Air Pollutants
Endotoxins
Interleukin-6
Particulate Matter
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Polymyxin B