The pro-inflammatory effects of mineral particles in cells of the human airways
2022
Grytting, Vegard Sæter
Respirable mineral particles represent a potential health hazard in both environmental and occupational settings. While the adverse effects of minerals such as quartz and asbestos are well-characterized, the effects of other minerals have received considerably less attention. Furthermore, exposure to minerals may also occur in combination with other sources of particles, but the effect of combined exposure is not often systematically assessed. The main goal of this thesis was to characterize the pro-inflammatory effects of mineral particles in cell models relevant for airway exposure, as well as the effects of combined exposure to mineral particles and diesel exhaust particles, another important source of respirable particles. The results show that a variety of minerals may contribute to induce pro-inflammatory responses in cells of the human airways. The potency differed between samples of different mineralogical composition, suggesting that minerals represent a variable health hazard. Moreover, mineral particles were shown to enhance the effects of diesel exhaust particles, which may represent a hitherto underappreciated role for minerals in the effects of more complex mixtures of particles. The results of the thesis add to the knowledge regarding the potential toxicity of mineral particles in the human airways and the cellular mechanisms involved.
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