1. Toxicol Pathol. 2008;36(2):289-310. Epub 2008 Mar 18.

Long-term air pollution exposure is associated with neuroinflammation, an altered
innate immune response, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, ultrafine
particulate deposition, and accumulation of amyloid beta-42 and alpha-synuclein
in children and young adults.

Calderón-Garcidueñas L, Solt AC, Henríquez-Roldán C, Torres-Jardón R, Nuse B,
Herritt L, Villarreal-Calderón R, Osnaya N, Stone I, García R, Brooks DM,
González-Maciel A, Reynoso-Robles R, Delgado-Chávez R, Reed W.

Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico.
lilian.calderon-garciduenas@umontana.edu

Air pollution is a serious environmental problem. We investigated whether
residency in cities with high air pollution is associated with
neuroinflammation/neurodegeneration in healthy children and young adults who died
suddenly. We measured mRNA cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-1beta, and CD14 in
target brain regions from low (n = 12) or highly exposed residents (n = 35) aged
25.1 +/- 1.5 years. Upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-1beta, and CD14
in olfactory bulb, frontal cortex, substantia nigrae and vagus nerves; disruption
of the blood-brain barrier; endothelial activation, oxidative stress, and
inflammatory cell trafficking were seen in highly exposed subjects. Amyloid
beta42 (Abeta42) immunoreactivity was observed in 58.8% of apolipoprotein E
(APOE) 3/3 < 25 y, and 100% of the APOE 4 subjects, whereas alpha-synuclein was
seen in 23.5% of < 25 y subjects. Particulate material (PM) was seen in olfactory
bulb neurons, and PM < 100 nm were observed in intraluminal erythrocytes from
lung, frontal, and trigeminal ganglia capillaries. Exposure to air pollution
causes neuroinflammation, an altered brain innate immune response, and
accumulation of Abeta42 and alpha-synuclein starting in childhood. Exposure to
air pollution should be considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases, and carriers of the APOE 4 allele could have a higher risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease if they reside in a polluted environment.


PMID: 18349428 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]