Laboratory of Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Pediatric Rheumatology Unit, Children's Institute of Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Int J Exp Pathol. 2023 Aug;104(4):177-187. doi: 10.1111/iep.12473. Epub 2023 Mar 14.
Epidemiological and toxicological studies have shown that inhalation of particulate matter (PM) is associated with development of cardiovascular diseases. Long-term exposure to PM may increase the risk of cardiovascular events and reduce life expectancy. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease, autoimmune in nature, that is characterized by the production of autoantibodies that affects several organs, including the heart. Air pollution - which can be caused by several different factors - may be one of the most important points both at the onset and the natural history of SLE. Therefore this study aims to investigate whether exposure to air pollution promotes increased inflammation and cardiac remodelling in animals predisposed to SLE. Female NZBWF1 mice were exposed to an environmental particle concentrator. Aspects related to cardiac remodelling, inflammation and apoptosis were analysed in the myocardium. Body weight gain, cardiac trophism by heart/body weight ratio, relative area of cardiomyocytes and the fibrotic area of cardiac tissue were evaluated during the exposure period. Animals exposed to PM2.5 showed increased area of cardiomyocytes, and area of fibrosis; in addition, we observed an increase in IL-1 and C3 in the cardiac tissue, demonstrating increased inflammation. We suggest that air pollution is capable of promoting cardiac remodelling and increased inflammation in animals predisposed to SLE.
流行病学和毒理学研究表明，吸入颗粒物（PM）与心血管疾病的发展有关。长期暴露于 PM 可能会增加心血管事件的风险并降低预期寿命。系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）是一种慢性炎症性疾病，本质上是自身免疫性的，其特征是产生影响包括心脏在内的多个器官的自身抗体。空气污染 - 可能由多种不同因素引起 - 可能是 SLE 发病和自然史中最重要的因素之一。因此，本研究旨在探讨暴露于空气污染是否会促进易感 SLE 的动物中炎症和心脏重塑的增加。雌性 NZBWF1 小鼠暴露于环境颗粒浓缩器中。分析了心肌中与心脏重塑、炎症和细胞凋亡相关的方面。在暴露期间评估体重增加、心脏/体重比的心脏营养、心肌细胞的相对面积和心脏组织的纤维化面积。暴露于 PM2.5 的动物表现出心肌细胞面积增加和纤维化面积增加；此外，我们还观察到心脏组织中 IL-1 和 C3 的增加，表明炎症增加。我们认为，空气污染能够促进易感 SLE 的动物的心脏重塑和炎症增加。
