We aimed to identify the variables that modify levels of oxidatively damaged DNA and lipid peroxidation in subjects living in diverse localities of the Czech Republic (a rural area, a metropolitan locality, and an industrial region). The sampling of a total of 126 policemen was conducted twice in two sampling seasons. Personal characteristics, concentrations of particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm and benzo[a]pyrene in the ambient air, activities of antioxidant mechanisms (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and antioxidant capacity), levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in blood plasma, and urinary levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites were investigated as parameters potentially affecting the markers of DNA oxidation (8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine) and lipid peroxidation (15-F2t-isoprostane). The levels of oxidative stress markers mostly differed between the localities in the individual sampling seasons. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed IL-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, as a factor with the most pronounced effects on oxidative stress parameters. The role of other variables, including environmental pollutants, was minor. In conclusion, our study showed that oxidative damage to macromolecules was affected by processes related to inflammation; however, we did not identify a specific environmental factor responsible for the pro-inflammatory response in the organism.

• Keywords
• DNA, POPs, antioxidant response, environmental factors, lipids, oxidative damage,
• MeSH
• Antioxidants analysis   MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• Interleukin-6 MeSH
• Air Pollutants * analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants * analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Oxidative Stress MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antioxidants MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• Interleukin-6 MeSH
• Air Pollutants * MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants * MeSH
• Particulate Matter MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * MeSH

BACKGROUND: Asthma represents a syndrome for which our understanding of the molecular processes underlying discrete sub-diseases (i.e., endotypes), beyond atopic asthma, is limited. The public health needs to characterize etiology-associated endotype risks is becoming urgent. In particular, the roles of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), globally distributed combustion by-products, toward the two known endotypes - T helper 2 cell high (Th2) or T helper 2 cell low (non-Th2) - warrants clarification. OBJECTIVES: To explain ambient B[a]P association with non-atopic asthma (i.e., a proxy of non-Th2 endotype) is markedly different from that with atopic asthma (i.e., a proxy for Th2-high endotype). METHODS: In a case-control study, we compare the non-atopic as well as atopic asthmatic boys and girls against their respective controls in terms of the ambient Benzo[a]pyrene concentration nearest to their home, plasma 15-Ft2-isoprostane (15-Ft2-isoP), urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), and lung function deficit. We repeated the analysis for i) dichotomous asthma outcome and ii) multinomial asthma-overweight/obese (OV/OB) combined outcomes. RESULTS: The non-atopic asthma cases are associated with a significantly higher median B[a]P (11.16 ng/m3) compared to that in the non-atopic controls (3.83 ng/m3; P-value < 0.001). In asthma-OV/OB stratified analysis, the non-atopic girls with lean and OV/OB asthma are associated with a step-wisely elevated B[a]P (median,11.16 and 18.00 ng/m3, respectively), compared to the non-atopic lean control girls (median, 4.28 ng/m3, P-value < 0.001). In contrast, atopic asthmatic children (2.73 ng/m3) are not associated with a significantly elevated median B[a]P, compared to the atopic control children (2.60 ng/m3; P-value > 0.05). Based on the logistic regression model, on ln-unit increate in B[a]P is associated with 4.7-times greater odds (95% CI, 1.9-11.5, P = 0.001) of asthma among the non-atopic boys. The same unit increase in B[a]P is associated with 44.8-times greater odds (95% CI, 4.7-428.2, P = 0.001) among the non-atopic girls after adjusting for urinary Cotinine, lung function deficit, 15-Ft2-isoP, and 8-oxodG. CONCLUSIONS: Ambient B[a]P is robustly associated with non-atopic asthma, while it has no clear associations with atopic asthma among lean children. Furthermore, lung function deficit, 15-Ft2-isoP, and 8-oxodG are associated with profound alteration of B[a]P-asthma associations among the non-atopic children.

• Keywords
• 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine, Air pollution, Benzo[a]pyrene, Endotype;15-Ft2-isoprostane,
• MeSH
• 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine urine   MeSH
• Benzo(a)pyrene analysis   MeSH
• Asthma blood   epidemiology   physiopathology   urine   MeSH
• Dinoprost analogs & derivatives   blood   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Phenotype MeSH
• Infant MeSH
• Cotinine urine   MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Lung physiopathology   MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Case-Control Studies MeSH
• Environmental Exposure analysis   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Infant MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha MeSH Browser
• 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine MeSH
• Benzo(a)pyrene MeSH
• Dinoprost MeSH
• Cotinine MeSH
• Air Pollutants MeSH

The exposure of living organisms to environmental stress triggers defensive responses resulting in the activation of protective processes. Whenever the exposure occurs at low doses, defensive effects overwhelm the adverse effects of the exposure; this adaptive situation is referred to as "hormesis". Environmental, physical, and nutritional hormetins lead to the stimulation and strengthening of the maintenance and repair systems in cells and tissues. Exercise, heat, and irradiation are examples of physical hormetins, which activate heat shock-, DNA repair-, and anti-oxidative-stress responses. The health promoting effect of many bio-actives in fruits and vegetables can be seen as the effect of mildly toxic compounds triggering this adaptive stimulus. Numerous studies indicate that living organisms possess the ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions, as exemplified by the fact that DNA damage and gene expression profiling in populations living in the environment with high levels of air pollution do not correspond to the concentrations of pollutants. The molecular mechanisms of the hormetic response include modulation of (a) transcription factor Nrf2 activating the synthesis of glutathione and the subsequent protection of the cell; (b) DNA methylation; and (c) microRNA. These findings provide evidence that hormesis is a toxicological event, occurring at low exposure doses to environmental stressors, having the benefit for the maintenance of a healthy status.

• Keywords
• adaptive response, microRNA machinery, preventive medicine,
• MeSH
• Epigenesis, Genetic * MeSH
• Adaptation, Physiological * MeSH
• Stress, Physiological * MeSH
• Hormesis * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Oxidative Stress MeSH
• DNA Damage MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Selecting the locations and numbers of air quality monitoring stations is challenging as these are expensive to operate. Representative concentrations of pollutants in certain areas are usually determined by measuring. If there are significant correlations with concentrations of other pollutants or with other monitoring sites, however, concentrations could also be computed, partly reducing the costs. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of such possible relationships using data on concentrations of ambient air pollutants obtained in different areas of a larger city. Presented are associations between industrial (IP) and suburban parts (SP) as well as correlations between concentrations of various pollutants at the same site. Results of air pollutant monitoring come from Ostrava, an industrial city in Central Europe with a population of over 300,000. The study showed that certain pollutants were strongly correlated, especially particulate matter (r = 0.940) and ozone (r = 0.923) between the IP and SP. Statistically significant correlations were also found between different pollutants at the same site. The highest correlations were between PM10 and NO2 (r IP = 0.728; r SP = 0.734), NO2 and benzo(a)pyrene (r IP = 0.787; r SP = 0.697), and NO2 and ozone (r IP = -0.706; r SP = -0.686). This could contribute to more cost-effective solutions for air pollution monitoring in cities and their surroundings by using computational models based on the correlations, optimization of the network of monitoring stations, and the best selection of measuring devices.

• Keywords
• Air monitoring, Industrial part, Pollutant association, Suburban part,
• MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring * MeSH
• Ozone analysis   MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Cities MeSH
• Air Pollution analysis   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH
• Cities MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Air Pollutants MeSH
• Ozone MeSH
• Particulate Matter MeSH