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Updated: May 19, 2026

Analysis of the Ambient Particulate Matter-induced Chromosomal Aberrations Using an In Vitro System
Published on: December 21, 2016
Toxicology of ambient particulate matter
Damiën van Berlo1, Maja Hullmann, Roel P F Schins
1Particle Research, Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung (IUF), Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Abstract:
It is becoming increasingly clear that inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) can lead to or exacerbate various diseases, which are not limited to the lung but extend to the cardiovascular system and possibly other organs and tissues. Epidemiological studies have provided strong evidence for associations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis and cardiovascular disease, while the evidence for a link with lung cancer is less strong. Novel research has provided first hints that exposure to PM might lead to diabetes and central nervous system (CNS) pathology. In the current review, an overview is presented of the toxicological basis for adverse health effects that have been linked to PM inhalation. Oxidative stress and inflammation are discussed as central processes driving adverse effects; in addition, profibrotic and allergic processes are implicated in PM-related diseases. Effects of PM on key cell types considered as regulators of inflammatory, fibrotic and allergic mechanisms are described.
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