Abstract
Environmental and Occupational pollution has been extensively studied because of its serious implications on the human health. Formaldehyde (FA) is a pollutant widely employed in several industries and also in anatomy, pathology and histology laboratories. Studies have shown the correlation between FA exposure and development or worsening of asthma. However, the effect of FA exposure on the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is unknown. PF is a progressive and chronic lung disease with high incidence and considerable morbidity and mortality. Few studies have shown a worsening of PF after pollutants exposure such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Therefore, our objective was to assess the effects of FA on the PF. Male mice C57BL6 were treated or not with bleomycin (1,5 U/kg) and exposed or not to FA inhalation (0.92 mg/m3, 1 h/day, 5 days/week during 2 weeks). Non-manipulated mice were used as control. Our data showed that FA exposure in fibrotic mice increased the number of granulocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage followed by elevated levels of interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 17. In addition, FA exposure in fibrotic mice enhanced the gene expression of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the lung. We also showed an increase in the collagen production, while lung elastance was reduced. No differences were found in the mucus production, oedema and interstitial thickening in the lung tissue of fibrotic mice after FA exposure. In conclusion our study showed that FA exposure aggravates the lung neutrophils influx and collagen production, but did not alter the lung elastance, mucus production, oedema and interstitial tickening. This work contributes to understand the effects of pollution in the development of PF.
Highlights
Formaldehyde (FA) is a pollutant widely employed in several industries and in anatomy, pathology and histology laboratories
Using an experimental model of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) induced by bleomycin, we showed the effects of FA exposure in the inflammatory and fibrotic parameters
This experimental model is well established and it reproduces the physiopathology of human disease, which is characterized by lung inflammation and loss of the original architecture of the lung due to excessive and disorganized expression and deposition of collagen and extracellular matrix [10,11]
Summary
Formaldehyde (FA) is a pollutant widely employed in several industries and in anatomy, pathology and histology laboratories. The effects of FA have been studied extensively; the link between FA and pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is not still established. PF is a progressive and chronic condition, whose etiology is unknown and the incidence is high [9]. The Pulmonary fibrosis can be developed experimentally by bleomycin administration. Bleomycin is an antineoplastic agent that can cause lung toxicity. This toxicity is related to several inflammatory mediators including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), chemokines among others, which cause severe lung fibrosis as side effect
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