Chronic exposure to urban air pollution from Buenos Aires: The ocular mucosa as an early biomarker

Air pollution represents a major health problem in megacities, bringing about 8 million deaths every year. The aim of the study was to evaluate in vivo the ocular and respiratory mucosa biological response after chronic exposure to urban air particles from Buenos Aires (UAP-BA). BALB/c mice were exposed to UAP-BA or filtered air for 1, 6, 9, and 12 months. After exposure, histology, histomorphometry, and IL-6 proinflammatory cytokine level were evaluated in the respiratory and ocular mucosa. Total cell number and differential cell count were determined in the brochoalveolar lavage fluid. In the lung, chronic exposure to UAP-BA induced reduction of the alveolar space, polymorhonuclear cell recruitment, and goblet cell hyperplasia. In the ocular surface, UAP-BA induced an initial mucin positive cells rise followed by a decline through time, while IL-6 level increased at the latest point-time assayed. Our results showed that the respiratory and the ocular mucosas respond differently to UAP-BA. Being that lung and ocular mucosa diseases may be triggered and/or exacerbated by chronic exposure to urban air PM, the inhabitants of Buenos Aires whom are chronically exposed to environmental urban air pollution may be considered a subpopulation at risk. Based on our results, we propose the ocular mucosa as a reliable and more accessible surrogate for pulmonary mucosa environmental toxicity that might also serve as an earlier biomarker for air pollution adverse impact on health.

Fil: Maglione, Guillermo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Estudios en Salud y Medio Ambiente; Argentina

Fil: Kurtz, Melisa Lidia Amelia. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental. Centro de Estudios Ambientales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Fil: Orona, Nadia Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; Argentina

Fil: Astort, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental. Centro de Estudios Ambientales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Fil: Tavera Busso, Iván. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Fil: Mandalunis, Patricia Mónica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Histología y Embriología; Argentina

Fil: Berra, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina

Fil: Tasat, Deborah Ruth. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental. Centro de Estudios Ambientales; Argentina