Source: Annual Congress 2008 - Mechanisms of respiratory infections: interaction between the pathogen and the host
Disease area: Respiratory infections

Abstract

Introduction: In the developing world, exposure to indoor air pollution from biomass smoke is associated with increased vulnerability to pneumococcal pneumonia. Since carbon-containing ultrafine particles mediate many of the health effects, we hypothesised that instillation of aggregates of carbon black nanoparticles into the lower airway of mice would enhance mortality from pneumococcal pneumonia.
Methods: Female MF1 mice were used for the study. On day 1, either 50 µl of phosphate buffered saline (PBS), or 500 µg of ultrafine carbon black (UFCB) in 50µl of PBS was instilled into the nasopharynx of anaesthetised mice. Instillation was repeated on day 4. 1 x 10⁶ S. pneumoniae inoculum in 50 µl of PBS was instilled into the nasopharynx of PBS and UFCB-exposed mice on day 7, and mortality was assessed over 72 hrs.These data were replicated in a separate challenge.
Result: All PBS-exposed mice died from pneumococcal infection within 48 hours. In contrast, 50% of the mice in UFCB group survived at 72 hours (difference between groups by Kaplan Mier, p=0.0017). Mice that survived upto 3 days were all clinically healthy.
Discussion: These data do not support our hypothesis that exposure to UFCB increases vulnerability to pneumococcal pneumonia. Indeed, a paradoxical ²protective² effect was found. We speculate that UFCB upregulates lung innate immunity, and that the adverse health effects of biomass smoke may be mediated by compounds absorbed onto carbon particles – or other gaseous components.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
A. Tellabati, P. Andrew, J. Grigg (Leicester, London, United Kingdom). Effect of instillation of ultrafine carbon black into the lower airway of mice on mortality from Streptococcus pneumoniae. Eur Respir J 2008; 32: Suppl. 52, 2298

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