Risk factors in air pollution exposome contributing to higher levels of TNFα in COPD patients

Xi Chen; Mengxiao Luan; Jinming Liu; Yuan Yao; Xiaoying Li; Teng Wang; Hanxiyue Zhang; Yiqun Han; Xinchen Lu; Wu Chen; Xinyan Hu; Mei Zheng; Xinghua Qiu; Tong Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.107034

Risk factors in air pollution exposome contributing to higher levels of TNFα in COPD patients

Environ Int. 2022 Jan 15:159:107034. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107034. Epub 2021 Dec 11.

Authors

Xi Chen¹, Mengxiao Luan², Jinming Liu², Yuan Yao², Xiaoying Li², Teng Wang², Hanxiyue Zhang², Yiqun Han³, Xinchen Lu², Wu Chen², Xinyan Hu², Mei Zheng², Xinghua Qiu², Tong Zhu⁴

Affiliations

¹ BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Hebei Technology Innovation Center of Human Settlement in Green Building, Shenzhen Institute of Building Research Co., Ltd., Xiongan 071700, China.
² BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
³ BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MRC Centre for Environmental and Health, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
⁴ BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: tzhu@pku.edu.cn.

PMID: 34906887
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107034

Abstract

Background: Air pollutants are found associated with various health effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary patients. Given the complicate chemical components of air pollutants, it is not clear which components are the main risk factors for these health effects.

Objectives: Based on the COPD in Beijing (COPDB) study and exposome concept, we examined comprehensively the air pollution components to screen out high-risk factors for systemic inflammation of COPD patients.

Methods: Concentrations of PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5), ultrafine and accumulated-mode particles (UFPs and Acc), PM_2.5-contained carbonaceous components/elements/water soluble ions, gaseous pollutants, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) were continuously monitored around participants. Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and cotinine, and serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were measured from 53 COPD and 82 non-COPD participants. Lifestyle variables were recorded using follow-up questionnaire. Linear mixed effects (LME) models were used to assess the associations of TNFα differences with exposure to air pollutants, meteorological variations, and lifestyle.

Results: In COPD patients, the associations of TNFα differences with exposure to ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, 2-hydroxydibenzofuran, temperature and RH parameters, and several elements in PM_2.5 were significant in certain time-windows. For example, per interquartile range (IQR) increase in average ozone concentration 14 d before visits was associated with 17.3% (95% confidence interval: 6.8%, 27.7%) TNFα difference. Associations between ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, the maximum value of RH, and 2-hydroxydibenzofuran exposure and TNFα differences remained robust in two-pollutant models, and contributed to 19.0%, 10.5%, 2.2%, 1.6%, 2.1%, and 1.5% TNFα differences, respectively. Among the high-risk factors for COPD patients, the responses to UFPs, Acc, and 2-hydroxydibenzofuran were not robust in non-COPD participants.

Discussion: Ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, PAHs exposure and RH variation were high-risk factors of systemic inflammation for COPD patients, and the profile of high-risk factors were different from those in general population.

Keywords: Air pollution; COPD; Exposome; Meteorological; Susceptibility; TNFα.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Air Pollution* / analysis
Air Pollution* / statistics & numerical data
Environmental Exposure / analysis
Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data
Exposome*
Humans
Particulate Matter / analysis
Particulate Matter / toxicity
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / chemically induced
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / epidemiology
Risk Factors
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha