Diesel exhaust particulates affect cell signaling, mucin profiles, and apoptosis in trachea explants of Balb/C mice.

Particulate matter from diesel exhaust (DEP) has toxic properties and can activate intracellular signaling pathways and induce metabolic changes. This study was conducted to evaluate the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and to analyze the mucin profile (acid (AB(+) ), neutral (PAS(+) ), or mixed (AB/PAS(+) ) mucus) and vacuolization (V) of tracheal explants after treatment with 50 or 100 µg/mL DEP for 30 or 60 min. Western blot analyses showed small increases in ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation after 30 min of 100 µg/mL DEP treatment compared with the control. An increase in JNK phosphorylation was observed after 60 min of treatment with 50 µg/mL DEP compared with the control. We did not observe any change in the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation after treatment with 50 µg/mL DEP. Other groups of tracheas were subjected to histological sectioning and stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reagent and Alcian Blue (AB). The stained tissue sections were then subjected to morphometric analysis. The results obtained were compared using ANOVA. Treatment with 50 µg/mL DEP for 30 min or 60 min showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in the amount of acid mucus, a reduction in neutral mucus, a significant reduction in mixed mucus, and greater vacuolization. Our results suggest that compounds found in DEPs are able to activate acid mucus production and enhance vacuolization and cell signaling pathways, which can lead to airway diseases.

Effects of cigarette smoking intensity on the mucociliary clearance of active smokers.

BACKGROUND: Smoking impairs mucociliary clearance and increases respiratory infection frequency and severity in subjects with and without smoking-related chronic lung diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effects of smoking intensity on mucociliary clearance in active smokers. METHODS: Seventy-five active smokers were grouped into light (1-10 cigarettes/day; n = 14), moderate (11-20 cigarettes/day; n = 34) and heavy smokers (≥21 cigarettes/day; n = 27) before starting a smoking cessation programme. Smoking behaviour, nicotine dependence, pulmonary function, carbon monoxide in exhaled air (exCO), carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) and mucociliary clearance measured by the saccharin transit time (STT) test were all evaluated. An age-matched non-smoker group (n = 24) was assessed using the same tests. RESULTS: Moderate (49 ± 7 years) and heavy smokers (46 ± 8 years) had higher STT (p = 0.0001), exCO (p < 0.0001) and COHb (p < 0.0001) levels compared with light smokers (51 ± 15 years) and non-smokers (50 ± 11 years). A positive correlation was observed between STT and exCO (r = 0.4; p < 0.0001), STT and cigarettes/day (r = 0.3, p = 0.02) and exCO and cigarettes/day (r = 0.3, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Smoking impairs mucociliary clearance and is associated with cigarette smoking intensity.

Reversibility of impaired nasal mucociliary clearance in smokers following a smoking cessation programme.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Smoking cessation (SC) is recognized as reducing tobacco-associated mortality and morbidity. The effect of SC on nasal mucociliary clearance (MC) in smokers was evaluated during a 180-day period. METHODS: Thirty-three current smokers enrolled in a SC intervention programme were evaluated after they had stopped smoking. Smoking history, Fagerström's test, lung function, exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO), carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) and nasal MC as assessed by the saccharin transit time (STT) test were evaluated. All parameters were also measured at baseline in 33 matched non-smokers. RESULTS: Smokers (mean age 49 ± 12 years, mean pack-year index 44 ± 25) were enrolled in a SC intervention and 27% (n = 9) abstained for 180 days, 30% (n = 11) for 120 days, 49.5% (n = 15) for 90 days or 60 days, 62.7% (n = 19) for 30 days and 75.9% (n = 23) for 15 days. A moderate degree of nicotine dependence, higher education levels and less use of bupropion were associated with the capacity to stop smoking (P < 0.05). The STT was prolonged in smokers compared with non-smokers (P = 0.002) and dysfunction of MC was present at baseline both in smokers who had abstained and those who had not abstained for 180 days. eCO and COHb were also significantly increased in smokers compared with non-smokers. STT values decreased to within the normal range on day 15 after SC (P < 0.01), and remained in the normal range until the end of the study period. Similarly, eCO values were reduced from the seventh day after SC. CONCLUSIONS: A SC programme contributed to improvement in MC among smokers from the 15th day after cessation of smoking, and these beneficial effects persisted for 180 days.

Sakuranetin reverses vascular peribronchial and lung parenchyma remodeling in a murine model of chronic allergic pulmonary inflammation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Asthma is a disease of high prevalence and morbidity that generates high costs in hospitalization and treatment. Although the airway is involved in the physiopathology of asthma, there is also evidence of the importance of vascular and lung parenchyma inflammation and remodeling, which can contribute to the functional pulmonary alterations observed in asthmatic patients. Our aim was to evaluate treatment using sakuranetin, a flavone isolated from the twigs of Baccharis retusa (Asteraceae), on vascular and lung parenchyma alterations in an experimental murine model of asthma. METHODS: Male BALB/c mice were subjected to a sensitization protocol with ovalbumin for 30days and were treated with or without sakuranetin (20mg/kg/mice) or dexamethasone (5mg/kg/mice); then, the lungs were collected for histopathological analysis. We evaluated extracellular matrix remodeling (collagen and elastic fibers), inflammation (eosinophils and NF-kB) and oxidative stress (8-isoprostane) in the pulmonary vessels and lung parenchyma. The thickness of the vascular wall was quantified, as well as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels. RESULTS: We demonstrated that sakuranetin reduced the number of eosinophils and elastic fibers in both the pulmonary vessels and the lung parenchyma, probably due to a reduction of oxidative stress and of the transcription factor NF-kB and VEGF levels in the lung. In addition, it reduced the thickness of the pulmonary vascular wall. The treatment had no effect on the collagen fibers. In most of the parameters, the effect of sakuranetin was similar to the dexamethasone effect. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Sakuranetin had anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, preventing vascular and distal parenchyma changes in this experimental model of asthma.

Analysis of autonomic modulation after an acute session of resistance exercise at different intensities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

PURPOSE: Physical exercises are employed as part of the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however information regarding cardiac autonomic modulation after an acute session of resistance exercise (RE) is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac autonomic modulation, via heart rate variability after an acute session of RE applied at different intensities in COPD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve COPD patients underwent an acute session of RE with an intensity of 60% and another of 90% of the one repetition maximum test. For analysis of autonomic modulation, heart rate was recorded beat-by-beat for 20 minutes at rest and after the training session. Heart rate variability indexes were obtained in the time and frequency domains for the assessment of autonomic modulation. RESULTS: Regardless of exercise intensity, RE acute sessions influenced the autonomic modulation when the recovery period was compared with the baseline. An increase in standard deviation of normal to normal RR intervals was observed throughout recovery time after the RE, as compared to baseline in both protocols: 60% and 90% of the one repetition maximum test. The spectral component of low frequency index (ms) was higher throughout recovery when compared to baseline in both protocols. The same was also observed in the spectral component of high frequency index (ms) for the protocols of 60% and 90%. CONCLUSION: RE sessions impact on the autonomic modulation of COPD patients by promoting differences in the recovery period compared to baseline, regardless of the intensity of the exercise performed.

Short-term effects of air pollution from biomass burning in mucociliary clearance of Brazilian sugarcane cutters.

Nasal mucociliary system is the first line of defense of the upper airways and may be affected acutely by exposure to particulate matter (PM) from biomass burning. Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a consistent association between levels of air pollution from biomass burning with increases in hospitalization for respiratory diseases and mortality. To determine the acute effects of exposure to particulate matter from biomass burning in nasal mucociliary transport by saccharin transit time (STT) test, we studied thirty-three non-smokers and twelve light smokers sugarcane cutters in two periods: pre-harvest season and 4 h after harvest at the first day after biomass burning. Lung function, exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), nasal symptoms questionnaire and mucociliary clearance (MC) were assessed. Exhaled CO was increased in smokers compared to non-smokers but did not change significantly after harvest. In contrast, STT was similar between smokers and non-smokers and decreased significantly after harvest in both groups (p < 0.001). Exposure to PM from biomass burning did not influence nasal symptoms. Our results suggest that acute exposure to particulate matter from sugarcane burned affects mucociliary clearance in smokers and non-smokers workers in the absence of symptoms.