Study On The Combined Oxidative Damage Effect Of Pollens And Atmospheric Particulate Matters

ObjectiveThe morbidity of allergic rhinitis can be elevated by the exposure of the atmospheric particulate matters(PM) through a variety of pathway, and its symptoms can be aggravated, while the potential mechanism may be related to the oxidative damage. The main purposes of this research are to investigate the cytotoxicity of different atmospheric particulate matters and the dominant pollens in the summer and autumn in Tianjin on Chinese hamster lung cells(CHL), and examine the possible interaction, or greater than additive responses, between PM effects and allergic responses. Furthermore, these research results could provide theoretical support for the association between air pollutions and health effect, and offer crucial basis for preventing and controling airway inflammation. MethodsThe particulates matters were collected in Tianjin, and pollens were bought as test sample. Take the Chinese hamster lung cells(CHL) as experimental subject. After infection by PMs and pollens respectively, cells were cultivated for another 24 hours, and then examined the cytotoxicity of the air pollutants. After infection by PMs, pollens and PM and pollen compounds for 24 hours, cells and cell culture media were examined respectively for oxidation damage adjuvant effect, including: malondialdehyde(MDA) content, superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX) activity. Results 1. Cytotoxicity of atmospheric particulate matters: When the experimental concentration is between 12.5μg/ml to 200μg/ml, the cell proliferation rate declines with the doses of particulate matters fall. When the concentrations of particulate matters are 12.5μg/ml, the cytotoxicity of the flue ash is the highest, while the cytotoxicity of the coal fly ash is the lowest, and there are significant differences. With the increasing of infected dose, the cytotoxicity’s change of coal fly ash is the rapidest, while the cytotoxicity’s change of the flue dust is the least obvious. When the concentrations of particulate matters are 200μg/ml, the cytotoxicities of particulate mattes didn’t show significant different. 2. Cytotoxicity of the dominant pollens in Tianjin: When the experimental concentration is between 12.5μg/ml to 200μg/ml, the cell proliferation rate declines with the doses of pollens fall. When the concentrations of pollens are 12.5μg/ml, the cytotoxicity of the timothy grass pollen is significantly lower than the other two kinds of pollen. With the increasing infected dose, the cytotoxicity’s change of timothy grass pollen is the most obvious.When the concentrations of pollens are 200μg/ml, the cytotoxicity of timothy grass pollen is significantly higher than the poplar pollen and ragweed pollen. 3. The oxidative damage effect of particulate matters and pollens: Compared with the blank group, the malondialdehyde(MDA) content in ragweed pollen, coal fly ash particles and ragweed pollen and coal fly ash particles mixture treatment groups were significantly increased; while compared with the ragweed pollen treatment group and coal fly ash treatment group respectively, the MDA content in ragweed pollen and coal fly ash particles mixture treatment group was obviously increased. Compared with the blank group, the total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD) activity in ragweed pollen, coal fly ash particles and ragweed pollen and coal fly ash particles mixture treatment groups were significantly increased; however compared with the ragweed pollen treatment group and coal fly ash treatment group respectively, the T-SOD activity in ragweed pollen and coal fly ash particles mixture treatment group showed a trend of decline, but did not show statistical difference. Compared with the blank group, the glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX) activity in ragweed pollen, coal fly ash particles and ragweed pollen and coal fly ash particles mixture treatment groups showed a trend of decline, but only coal fly ash particles treatment group showed statistical differences, while the rest of the groups had no statistical difference; additionally, compared with the ragweed pollen treatment group and coal fly ash treatment group respectively, the GSH-PX activity showed a trend of decline, but there is no statistical difference. Cell oxidative damage can be caused by ragweed pollen or coal fly ash particles, while compared with exposure to particulate matters and pollens solely, particulate matter and pollen combined would possibly increase the oxidation damage adjuvant effect. ConclusionsParticulate matters and pollens have different cytotoxities on Chinese hamster lung cells(CHL). The results show that particulate matter has adjuvant effect on enhancement of the sensitization.