Comparing human respiratory adverse effects after acute exposure to particulate matter in conventional and particle-reduced swine building environments.

Objectives: To evaluate innate immunity responses, lung function and symptoms in volunteers acutely exposed to organic dust in swine buildings after installing particle separators aimed to reduce particulate matter exposure.

Methods: 11 healthy participants were exposed in 2 different facilities, with and without installed particle separators, in a cross-over design including 2-3 weeks wash-out between the 2 exposures. Size, distribution and composition of particulate matter and endotoxins in the air were measured.

Long term effect and allergic sensitization in newly employed workers in laboratory animal facilities.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify targets predicting allergic sensitization to laboratory animals using shift in skin prick test to laboratory animals as primary outcome variable.

Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study, personnel who were employed to work with laboratory animals at a medical university were investigated before and 6, 12 and 24 month after the start of employment. Lung function, bronchial challenges, exhaled NO and nasal lavage were performed and blood samples were drawn at all visits.

Daily exposure to dust alters innate immunity.

Pig farmers are exposed to organic material in pig barns on a daily basis and have signs of an ongoing chronic airway inflammation and increased prevalence of chronic inflammatory airway diseases, predominantly chronic bronchitis. Interestingly, the inflammatory response to acute exposure to organic dust is attenuated in farmers. The aim of the study was to closer characterize innate immunity features in blood and airways in farmers and in naïve, non-exposed, controls.

Effect of formoterol and budesonide on chemokine release, chemokine receptor expression and chemotaxis in human neutrophils.

Severe persistent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with neutrophil influx into the airways. It is not clear whether neutrophil chemotaxis is influenced by beta(2)-agonists and glucocorticoids, drugs commonly used in treatment of asthma and COPD. The effect of a long-acting beta(2)-agonist (formoterol), and a glucocorticosteroid (budesonide) on chemokine/cytokine release (CXCL8, CXCL1, IL-6), regulation of chemokine receptors (CXCR1, CXCR2), and migration were assessed in neutrophils from 10 non-allergic, healthy donors.

Increased serum levels of soluble ST2 in birch pollen atopics and individuals working in laboratory animal facilities.

Objective: To investigate toll-like receptors and CD14 expression on blood cells, cytokine profile of blood T-helper cells and serum levels of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) and sCD14 in 27 symptomatic laboratory animal (LA) workers with positive (n = 19) or negative (n = 8) skin-prick test to LA, 12 birch pollen atopics and 11 non-atopic controls not exposed to LA.

Methods: Surface markers and intracellular cytokines were measured with flow cytometry and sST2 and sCD14 with ELISA.

Results: The group who experienced symptoms when working with LA, with positive and negative skin-prick test to LA, had higher CD14 expression on monocytes compared with those allergic to birch and controls.

Altered innate immune response in farmers and smokers.

Pig farmers and cigarette smokers are continuously exposed to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) have an increased prevalence of respiratory disorders, such as chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary decease (COPD). We hypothesized that markers of innate immunity, T-helper (Th) cell cytokine profile and acute responses to pro-inflammatory stimuli differ between smokers and farmers, who are exposed to organic material on a daily basis and healthy non-exposed subjects. Eleven non-smoking pig farmers, 12 non-farming smokers and 12 controls underwent bronchial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge and exposure in a pig barn during 3 h on separate days.

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 in anticancer drug resistance.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are often upregulated in tumors and have been suggested to play an important role in multiple drug resistance in cancer chemotherapy. As a consequence GST-dependent pro-drugs and inhibitors are being developed. Little is known, however, on the potential role of membrane-bound GSTs in drug resistance despite the fact that detoxication of cytostatic drugs and upregulation in tumors has been demonstrated.

Effect of respirators equipped with particle or particle-and-gas filters during exposure in a pig confinement building.

Objectives: This study compared the protective effect of two respiratory protection devices during exposure in a pig confinement building.

Methods: Thirty-six healthy persons were exposed for 3 hours in the building, 12 without any protection, 12 with a particle-filter mask, and 12 with a mask filtering both particles and gases. Symptoms, body temperature, nasal lavage fluid, exhaled nitric oxide, and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were assessed before and after the exposure.