Effect of diesel exhaust particle extracts on collagen-induced arthritis in mice.

We investigated the effect of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) extracts on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. For this study, a single DEP sample was consecutively extracted with hexane (HEX-DEP), benzene (BEN-DEP), dichloromethane (DIC-DEP), methanol (MET-DEP), and 1 M ammonia (AMM-DEP) in that order. Residues unextracted with the last extraction solvent 1 M ammonia (UNE-DEP) were also used for experiments. To induce CIA, mice were immunized with type II collagen (CII) and 21 days later given a booster injection. DEP, each DEP extract, and UNE-DEP were intranasally administered every two days over a period of 20 days, commencing on the day of immunization. The results showed that treatment of mice with DEP, DIC-DEP, and UNE-DEP augmented both the incidence and the severity of CIA. DEP and DIC-DEP increased production of anti-CII IgG, IgG2a, and IgG1 antibodies as well as secretion of JFN-gamma and IL-4. Treatment with UNE-DEP resulted in an increase in antigen-specific IgG, IgG2a, and IFN-gamma but neither IgG1 nor IL-4. AMM-DEP failed to affect CIA as well as production of IgG2a and IFN-gamma, although significant increases in anti-CII IgGI and IL-4 were observed in the treatment group. HEX-DEP, BEN-DEP, and MET-DEP had no effects on CIA and production of antibodies and cytokines examined. Thus, DEP and DIC-DEP appear to contain compounds, which enhance both Th1 and Th2 responses, while UNE-DEP and AMM-DEP to contain chemicals, which augment Th1 and Th2 alone, respectively. Th1- but not Th2-modulating compounds from DEP, DIC-DEP, and UNE-DEP seem to influence CIA.