Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem and closely related to environmental factors. Ursolic acid (UA) has potential in the treatment of allergic inflammation. The effects of UA intervention on PM2.5-induced AR remain uncertain.

Objective: To assess the effects of UA on nasal symptoms and the expression of T-helper (Th)1-Th2-related cytokines in a rat model of AR after fine particulate matter (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm [PM2.5]) exposure.

Methods: A total of 40 healthy female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control group (NC group), ovalbumin (OVA)- induced AR model (AR group), PM2.5-exposed AR group exposed to 200 g/m PM2.5 for 30 days via inhalation (ARE group), and a group with UA intervention to the AR model after PM2.5 exposure (UA group). UA intervention was adopted after PM2.5 exposure in the UA group. Nasal symptoms and levels of Th1-Th2 cytokines in the serum were detected in each individual rat. The pathological changes and expression of Eotaxin in the nasal mucosa of each individual rat were examined by histology.

Results: PM2.5 significantly increased the number of sneezes and nasal rubs in the rats with AR, and UA alleviated these symptoms. UA decreased interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, Eotaxin-1, and OVA Immunoglobulin E (IgE) protein levels. In the AR group, hematoxylin and eosin staining showed disordered arrangement of the nasal mucosa epithelium, cell shedding, eosinophilic infiltration, swelling of the glands, and submucosal vascular congestion. UA group showed reduced eosinophilic infiltration and orderly arrangement of the mucosal epithelium when compared with the ARE group. Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of Eotaxin in the UA group was lower than that in the ARE group.

Conclusion: UA could relieve nasal symptoms caused by PM2.5 exposure, the possible mechanism of which is to inhibit the expression of Th2 cytokines, eosinophilic infiltration, and specific IgE production.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1945892420913430DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

pm25 exposure
16
nasal symptoms
12
group
12
eosinophilic infiltration
12
ursolic acid
8
th1-th2-related cytokines
8
cytokines rat
8
rat model
8
allergic rhinitis
8
particulate matter
8

Similar Publications

Long-term exposure to PM pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischemic heart disease (IHD). Current assessments of the health effects related to PM exposure are limited by sparse ground monitoring stations and applicable disease research cohorts, making accurate health effect evaluations challenging. Using satellite-observed aerosol optical depth (AOD) data and the XGBoost-PM25 model, we obtained 1 km scale PM exposure levels across China.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

BACKGROUND Exposure to air pollution (AP) during pregnancy is associated with pre-labor rupture of membranes (PROM). However, there is limited research on this topic, and the sensitive exposure windows remain unclear. The present study assessed the association between AP exposure and the risk of PROM, as well as seeking to identify the sensitive time windows.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ambient PM and specific sources increase inflammatory cytokine responses to stimulators and reduce sensitivity to inhibitors.

Environ Res

July 2024

Department of Environmental Medicine and Climate Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Climate Change, Environmental Health, and Exposomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

Article Synopsis
  • Ambient exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is linked to increased health risks, raising the question of how PM sensitizes the immune response in children.
  • A study involving 277 children investigated the effects of neighborhood PM on inflammatory responses, revealing that higher PM levels correlate with stronger cytokine reactions, particularly from vehicle emissions and dust.
  • Longitudinal findings indicated that residential PM exposure decreased sensitivity to anti-inflammatory agents, but PM levels did not appear to affect biomarkers of low-grade inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Previous studies have attempted to clarify the relationship between the occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and exposure to air pollutants. However, evidence from multi-centres, particularly at the national level, is scarce, and no study has examined the modifying effect of greenness on air pollution-TB associations. In this study, we examined the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants (PM p.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Physical activity attenuates negative effects of short-term exposure to ambient air pollution on cognitive function.

Environ Int

February 2022

Division of Sports Science & Physical Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Physical activity has beneficial effects on cognitive function while air pollution has negative impacts, and their effects may influence each other.
  • The study tracked 90 healthy young adults' exposure to air pollution and their physical activity levels over several sessions, assessing cognitive function through tests and EEG signals.
  • Findings indicate that short-term exposure to air pollution negatively affected executive function, but engaging in more physical activity can help counteract this damage, especially in polluted environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!