Glutamatergic neurons in rodent models respond to nanoscale particulate urban air pollutants in vivo and in vitro.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Inhalation of airborne particulate matter (PM) derived from urban traffic is associated with pathology in the arteries, heart, and lung; effects on brain are also indicated but are less documented.

Objective

We evaluated rodent brain responses to urban nanoscale (< 200 nm) PM (nPM).

Methods

Ambient nPM collected near an urban freeway was transferred to aqueous suspension and reaerosolized for 10-week inhalation exposure of mice or directly applied to rat brain cell cultures.

Results

Free radicals were detected by electron paramagnetic resonance in the nPM 30 days after initial collection. Chronic inhalation of reaerosolized nPM altered selected neuronal and glial activities in mice. The neuronal glutamate receptor subunit (GluA1) was decreased in hip

SUBMITTER: Morgan TE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3222976 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature