Differential particulate air pollution induced oxidant stress in human granulocytes, monocytes and alveolar macrophages.

It has been proposed that oxidant stress of cells in the lung is one of the underlying mechanisms of particulate pollution-induced exacerbation of lung disease. Individuals who are considered most sensitive to particulate pollution are those with pre-existing airways inflammation, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung infection or asthma. These diseases are characterized by a presence of inflammatory cells in the airways including neutrophils (PMN), eosinophils and monocytes (Mo), and increased numbers of alveolar macrophages (AM). These cells have a high capacity for production of oxygen radicals, as compared to other cell types of the lung. To assess the oxidative response of these various cell types to pollution particles of various sources, luminol-dependent chemiluminescence was employed. Particles including transition metal-rich residual oil fly ashes (ROFAs), coal fly ashes, diesel, SiO2, TiO2 and fugitive dusts were co-cultured with AM, Mo and PMN in a dose range of 10-100 microg/2 x 10(5) cells and chemiluminescence determined following a 20-min interaction. A strong oxidant response of AM was restricted to oil fly ashes, while the PMN were most reactive to the dusts containing aluminium silicate. In general, the Mo response was less vigorous, but overlapped both AM- and PMN-stimulating dusts. However, in response to SiO2 and volcanic ash the Mo chemiluminescence exceeded that of the other cell types. Oxygen radicals generated in response to ROFA by the AM were likely to be dependent on mitochondrial processes, while the response in PMN involved the membrane NADPH oxidase complex, as determined by targeting inhibitors. The response of AM to SiO2 of various sizes and TiO2 in the fine size range obtained from different commercial sources, was highly variable, implying that composition rather than size was responsible for the oxidant response. A strong chemiluminescence response was not consistently associated with cytotoxicity in the responsive cell. Taken together, these results suggest that oxidant activation by various sources of particulate matter is cell specific. Therefore, the inflamed lung is likely to be more susceptible to harm of ambient air particulates because of the oxidant stress posed by a broader range of particles.