IL33 contributes to diesel pollution-mediated increase in experimental asthma severity.

Background: Exposure to traffic pollution, notably diesel exhaust particles (DEP), increases risk for asthma and asthma exacerbations. The contribution of cytokines generated by stressed lung epithelial cells (IL25, IL33, TSLP) to DEP-induced asthma severity remains poorly understood.

Methods: BALB/c mice were exposed intratracheally once to DEP or 9 times over 3-weeks to either saline, DEP, and/or house dust mite extract (HDM).

Vitamin D supplementation attenuates asthma development following traffic-related particulate matter exposure.

Background: Recent literature suggests that children who are vitamin D deficient are uniquely susceptible to the effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure. This is highly significant because large segments of the population reside in zones of high TRAP exposure.

Objective: We sought to determine whether vitamin D supplementation mitigates the effect of TRAP exposure on asthma development, asthma exacerbation, and/or airway inflammation and to determine the timing of vitamin D supplementation that confers maximal health benefit.