Macrophage Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons From Wood Smoke Reduces the Ability to Control Growth of .

Use of solid fuels for cooking or home heating has been related to various diseases of the respiratory tract. Woodsmoke contains a mixture of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds. Inhalation of these materials induces local and systemic changes in the immune system which may impair critical cell defense mechanisms; however, few studies have investigated the early effects that PAH exposures have on immune cells as macrophages.