Proteomic analysis of the differentially expressed proteins by airborne nanoparticles.

Airborne nanoparticles with thermodynamic diameters less than 56 nm (PM(0.056)) were collected using a Moudi cascade impactor, and the differentially expressed proteins upon exposure to the airborne nanoparticles were identified in human bronchial epithelial cells. More than 600 protein spots were detected on the two-dimensional gel, and the identified 13 of these proteins showed notable changes. Nine were up-regulated and four were down-regulated following treatment with the airborne nanoparticles. Notably, malignant transformation-associated multiple forms of keratins, epigenetic regulation-related MBD1-containing chromatin associated factor 2, epithelial malignancy-related vimentin and exocytosis-related annexin A2 were changed upon exposure to airborne nanoparticle PM(0.056).