Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers

Purpose. To study the association between inhalation of particulate matter or quartz in Swedish iron foundries and the effects on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Methods. Particle exposure measurements were performed during an eight-hour work day for 85 foundry workers at three Swedish iron foundries...

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Main Authors: Alexander Hedbrant, Lena Andersson, Ing-Liss Bryngelsson, Daniel Eklund, Håkan Westberg, Eva Särndahl, Alexander Persson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Mediators of Inflammation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8490908
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author Alexander Hedbrant
Lena Andersson
Ing-Liss Bryngelsson
Daniel Eklund
Håkan Westberg
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
author_facet Alexander Hedbrant
Lena Andersson
Ing-Liss Bryngelsson
Daniel Eklund
Håkan Westberg
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
author_sort Alexander Hedbrant
collection DOAJ
description Purpose. To study the association between inhalation of particulate matter or quartz in Swedish iron foundries and the effects on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Methods. Particle exposure measurements were performed during an eight-hour work day for 85 foundry workers at three Swedish iron foundries. Personal sampling was used for measurement of respirable quartz and dust and stationary measurements to obtain exposure measurements for inhalable dust and PM10. The NLRP3 inflammasome markers, interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-18, and inhibitors IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) were measured in plasma. Inflammasome activation was measured by caspase-1 enzymatic activity in monocytes in whole blood by flow cytometry, and expression of inflammasome-related genes was quantified using real-time PCR. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate associations between PM exposures and inflammatory markers. Sex, age, smoking, current infection, BMI, and single nucleotide polymorphism in the inflammasome regulating genes CARD8 (C10X) and NLRP3 (Q705K) were included as covariates. Results. The average exposure levels of respirable dust and quartz were 0.85 and 0.052 mg/m3, respectively. A significant exposure-response was found for respirable dust and IL-18 and for inhalable dust and IL-1Ra. Whole blood, drawn from study participants, was stimulated ex vivo with inflammasome priming stimuli LPS or Pam3CSK4, resulting in a 47% and 49% increase in caspase-1 enzymatic activity in monocytes. This increase in caspase-1 activity was significantly attenuated in the higher exposure groups for most PM exposure measures. Conclusions. The results indicate that exposure levels of PM in the iron foundry environment can affect the NLRP3 inflammasome and systemic inflammation.
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spelling doaj-art-78a5324ecefa4e3681e737bd7639f4982025-08-20T02:07:31ZengWileyMediators of Inflammation0962-93511466-18612020-01-01202010.1155/2020/84909088490908Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry WorkersAlexander Hedbrant0Lena Andersson1Ing-Liss Bryngelsson2Daniel Eklund3Håkan Westberg4Eva Särndahl5Alexander Persson6Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Örebro University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Örebro University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenPurpose. To study the association between inhalation of particulate matter or quartz in Swedish iron foundries and the effects on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Methods. Particle exposure measurements were performed during an eight-hour work day for 85 foundry workers at three Swedish iron foundries. Personal sampling was used for measurement of respirable quartz and dust and stationary measurements to obtain exposure measurements for inhalable dust and PM10. The NLRP3 inflammasome markers, interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-18, and inhibitors IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) were measured in plasma. Inflammasome activation was measured by caspase-1 enzymatic activity in monocytes in whole blood by flow cytometry, and expression of inflammasome-related genes was quantified using real-time PCR. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate associations between PM exposures and inflammatory markers. Sex, age, smoking, current infection, BMI, and single nucleotide polymorphism in the inflammasome regulating genes CARD8 (C10X) and NLRP3 (Q705K) were included as covariates. Results. The average exposure levels of respirable dust and quartz were 0.85 and 0.052 mg/m3, respectively. A significant exposure-response was found for respirable dust and IL-18 and for inhalable dust and IL-1Ra. Whole blood, drawn from study participants, was stimulated ex vivo with inflammasome priming stimuli LPS or Pam3CSK4, resulting in a 47% and 49% increase in caspase-1 enzymatic activity in monocytes. This increase in caspase-1 activity was significantly attenuated in the higher exposure groups for most PM exposure measures. Conclusions. The results indicate that exposure levels of PM in the iron foundry environment can affect the NLRP3 inflammasome and systemic inflammation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8490908
spellingShingle Alexander Hedbrant
Lena Andersson
Ing-Liss Bryngelsson
Daniel Eklund
Håkan Westberg
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
Mediators of Inflammation
title Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
title_full Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
title_fullStr Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
title_full_unstemmed Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
title_short Quartz Dust Exposure Affects NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plasma Levels of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in Iron Foundry Workers
title_sort quartz dust exposure affects nlrp3 inflammasome activation and plasma levels of il 18 and il 1ra in iron foundry workers
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8490908
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