Comparative inflammatory and immune effects of pollution in asthmatics and healthy subjects
Soler Segovia, David (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Medicina)
Romero Mesones, Christian (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Espejo Castellanos, David (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Pilia, F. (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Ojanguren, Iñigo (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Medicina)
Martínez, C. (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol)
Muñoz Gall, Francisco Javier (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Cruz, María Jesús (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the inflammatory and immunological responses in asthmatic patients and healthy controls exposed to a polluted or a non-polluted environment during a short-term period. Material and methods: Randomized crossover study in patients with asthma (n = 20), and in healthy controls (n = 15). Participants were exposed for 2 hours to a polluted environment and, after 14 days, to a non-polluted environment. At each exposure, pollution levels were assessed. Subsequently, serum levels of 8-isoprostane and glutathione peroxidase were measured as markers of oxidative stress as well as 48 inflammatory and immune response cytokines. Results: In the polluted environment, significantly higher levels of PM1, PM10, NO2, NO and CO were observed (p=0. 0026, 0. 0337, <0. 0001, <0. 0001 and 0. 0004 respectively) than in the non polluted environment. After exposure to a polluted environment, both groups (healthy controls and asthmatic patients) presented higher values of IL17F (p= 0. 0285 and 0. 0348 respectively) and CSF2 (p= 0. 0425 and 0. 0305 respectively). Healthy controls presented reductions in glutathione peroxidase (with antioxidant activity) (p=0. 0038), CSF3, HGF and OSM (p= 0. 0123, 0. 0353 and 0. 0256 respectively) and increased levels of IL7, CXCL8 and CCL2 (p= 0. 0015, 0. 0119 and 0. 0215 respectively) after exposure to high levels of pollution. Asthmatic patients had higher serum levels of IL1b and IL15 (p= 0. 0232 and 0. 0497 respectively). Conclusion: Healthy individuals and asthmatics present different responses to exposure to pollutants. In healthy individuals, there is an adaptive suppression of immune activity. Conversely, asthmatics present a more marked inflammatory response.
Grants:	Instituto de Salud Carlos III CM23/00174 Instituto de Salud Carlos III FI22/00262 Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI21/01346
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Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Pollution ; Particulate matter ; Immune profiling ; Exposure ; Real-time cohort
Published in:	Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Vol. 36, Núm. 4 (2026) , ISSN 1698-0808

Available from: 2099-01-01 Postprint

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut d'Investigació en Ciencies de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles