Measurement of Inflammatory Markers Resulting from Exposures to Southwest Asian Particulate Matter and Burn Pit Emissions in a Rat Model
Abstract
Military personnel deployed to the Southwest Asia area have been exposed to inhalation hazards including sand particulate matter (PM) and burn pit emissions. After returning from deployment, many veterans complained of persistent respiratory symptoms. Reported here is an in vivo study conducted by the Naval Medical Research Unit-Dayton (NAMRU-D) to characterize the inflammatory responses induced by inhalational exposures to sand and/or burn pit emissions, and investigate the use of several immune molecules as biomarkers of lung effect. The study was accomplished by measuring both pulmonary and systemic levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines, multiple antibody isotypes, neutrophil activation, and surfactant proteins in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum that were collected for a previous JPC5-funded study, Toxicity Evaluation and Biomarker Identification in Rats Exposed to Burn Pit Emissions and Respirable Southwest Asian Particulate Matter (SWAPM or sand). The samples of BALF and serum from that previous study were used to quantitate levels of the various immune molecules to assess pulmonary and systemic inflammation. Our main finding was the persistent increase in BALF levels of TNF- and IgA lasting 90 days following exposures to the combined sand and burn pit.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 16, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1147843
Entities
People
- Brian A. Wong
- David X. Wu
- Joyce G. Rohan
- Nathan M. Gargas
Organizations
- Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton