THE ESSENTIAL
- Air pollution is characterized by a set of gases and particles suspended in the air. Their concentration levels depend on emissions and weather conditions.
- This air pollution can cause heart disease, asthma attacks or even lung cancer.
Cardiovascular disorders, allergies, asthma attacks, lung or skin cancer… Air pollution can have serious health consequences. The combustion of fuels emitted by cars can in particular cause great damage. A team of Canadian researchers has thus observed that the consequences of inhaling exhaust gases from diesel engines are greater in women than in men. Their findings were presented at the last International Congress of l’European Respiratory Society in Barcelona (Spain).
Healthy, non-smoking volunteers
The research was carried out by the team of Professor Neeloffer Mookherjee from the University of Manitoba and Professor Chris Carlsten from the University of British Columbia (Canada). The two teams recruited five healthy, non-smoking women and five men. As part of the study, the volunteers breathed air containing diesel exhaust at three different concentrations: 20, 50 and 150 micrograms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) per cubic meter. A four-week break was taken between each exposure.
During their presentation, the scientists specified that the annual limit value for PM2.5 within the European Union is 25 micrograms per cubic meter. They pointed out, however, that higher peaks are very common in many cities.
With each inhalation, the researchers took a blood sample from all the participants. They then studied their plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, an analysis technology. The aim was to identify changes in the levels of different proteins following exposure to diesel exhaust in women and men.
Women at higher risk of developing respiratory disease
Results: Levels of 90 proteins were different between female participants and male volunteers. In particular, scientists have detected changes in blood components associated with cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Air pollution might therefore have an impact on our immune response to chronic pathologies.
“These are preliminary results, but they show that exposure to diesel engine exhaust has different effects on the bodies of women and men, which might indicate that air pollution is more dangerous for women. women than for men, underlined Professor Neeloffer Mookherjee. And he adds: “This is important because respiratory diseases such as asthma are known to affect women and men differently. Men are more likely to have severe asthma that is unresponsive to treatment. Therefore, we need to know much more regarding how women and men respond to air pollution and what this means for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases.”
In the future, researchers want to expand the study of serum protein functions to better understand their role in differences between female and male immune responses.
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