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Review
. 2011 May;16(3):139-43.
doi: 10.1007/s12199-010-0177-7. Epub 2010 Sep 4.

Promoting effects of nanoparticles/materials on sensitive lung inflammatory diseases

Ken-ichiro Inoue  1
Affiliations
Review

Promoting effects of nanoparticles/materials on sensitive lung inflammatory diseases

Ken-ichiro Inoue. Environ Health Prev Med. 2011 May.

Abstract

Although the adverse health effects of nanoparticles/materials have been proposed and are being clarified, their facilitating effects on preexisting pathological conditions have not been fully established. We provide insights into the environmental immunotoxicity of nanoparticles as an aggravating factor in hypersusceptible subjects, especially those with respiratory disorders, using our in vivo models. We first examined the effects of nanoparticles/materials on lung inflammation induced by bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) as a test model against innate immunity, and demonstrated that nanoparticles instilled through both an intratracheal tube and an inhalation system can exacerbate lung inflammation. Secondly, we examined the effects of nanoparticles/materials on allergic pathophysiology, and showed that repetitive pulmonary exposure to nanoparticles has aggravating effects on allergic airway inflammation, including adjuvant effects on Th2-milieu. Taken together, nanoparticle exposure may synergistically facilitate pathological inflammatory conditions in the lung via both innate and adaptive immunological abnormalities.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Proposed schema for enhancement of acute lung injury by nanoparticles/materials
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Proposed schema for enhancement of allergic airway inflammation by nanoparticles/materials
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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