Environmental mold and mycotoxin exposures elicit specific cytokine and chemokine responses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Molds can cause respiratory symptoms and asthma. We sought to use isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to understand changes in cytokine and chemokine levels in response to mold and mycotoxin exposures and to link these levels with respiratory symptoms in humans. We did this by utilizing an ex vivo assay approach to differentiate mold-exposed patients and unexposed controls. While circulating plasma chemokine and cytokine levels from these two groups might be similar, we hypothesized that by challenging their isolated white blood cells with mold or mold extracts, we would see a differential chemokine and cytokine release.

Methods and findings

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood from 33 patients with a history of mold

SUBMITTER: Rosenblum Lichtenstein JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4444319 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature