Label-free detection and quantification of ultrafine particulate matter in lung and heart of mouse and evaluation of tissue injury

Saira Hameed; Kun Pan; Wenhua Su; Miles Trupp; Lan Mi; Jinzhuo Zhao

doi:10.1186/s12989-022-00493-8

Label-free detection and quantification of ultrafine particulate matter in lung and heart of mouse and evaluation of tissue injury

Part Fibre Toxicol. 2022 Jul 26;19(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s12989-022-00493-8.

Authors

Saira Hameed^{1

2}, Kun Pan³, Wenhua Su⁴, Miles Trupp⁵, Lan Mi⁴, Jinzhuo Zhao^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden. saira.hameed@umu.se.
² Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China. saira.hameed@umu.se.
³ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, 130 Dong'an Road, Box 249, Shanghai, 200032, China.
⁴ Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
⁵ Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden.
⁶ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, 130 Dong'an Road, Box 249, Shanghai, 200032, China. jinzhuozhao@fudan.edu.cn.
⁷ IRDR ICoE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. jinzhuozhao@fudan.edu.cn.

Abstract

While it is known that air borne ultrafine particulate matter (PM) may pass through the pulmonary circulation of blood at the alveolar level between lung and heart and cross the air-blood barrier, the mechanism and effects are not completely clear. In this study the imaging method fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy is adopted for visualization with high spatial resolution and quantification of ultrafine PM particles in mouse lung and heart tissues. The results showed that the median numbers of particles in lung of mice exposed to ultrafine particulate matter of diameter less than 2.5 µm was about 2.0 times more than that in the filtered air (FA)-treated mice, and about 1.3 times more in heart of ultrafine PM-treated mice than in FA-treated mice. Interestingly, ultrafine PM particles were more abundant in heart than lung, likely due to how ultrafine PM particles are cleared by phagocytosis and transport via circulation from lungs. Moreover, heart tissues showed inflammation and amyloid deposition. The component analysis of concentrated airborne ultrafine PM particles suggested traffic exhausts and industrial emissions as predominant sources. Our results suggest association of ultrafine PM exposure to chronic lung and heart tissue injuries. The current study supports the contention that industrial air pollution is one of the causative factors for rising levels of chronic pulmonary and cardiac diseases.

Keywords: Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy; Heart; Injury; Lung; Scanning electron microscopy; Ultrafine PM.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Air Pollution* / analysis
Lung
Particle Size
Particulate Matter / analysis
Particulate Matter / toxicity
Vehicle Emissions / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter
Vehicle Emissions