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The Response of Phagocytes to Indoor Air Toxicity
Liisa K Vilén1, Janne Atosuo1, Esa-Matti Lilius1
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Abstract:
This perspective presents a viewpoint on potential methods assessing toxicity of indoor air. Until recently, the major techniques to document moldy environment have been microbial isolation using conventional culture techniques for fungi and bacteria as well as in some instances polymerase chain reaction to detect microbial genetic components. However, it has become increasingly evident that bacterial and fungal toxins, their metabolic products, and volatile organic substances emitted from corrupted constructions are the major health risks. Here, we illustrate how phagocytes, especially neutrophils can be used as a toxicological probe. Neutrophils can be used either in vitro as probe cells, directly exposed to the toxic agent studied, or they can act as in vivo indicators of the whole biological system exposed to the agent. There are two convenient methods assessing the responses, one is to measure chemiluminescence emission from activated phagocytes and the other is to measure quantitatively by flow cytometry the expression of complement and immunoglobulin receptors on the phagocyte surface.
Insights
This perspective explores using neutrophils as toxicological probes to assess indoor air toxicity. These immune cells can detect harmful substances like microbial toxins and volatile organic compounds, offering a novel approach to environmental health risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Immunology
Background:
- Traditional methods for assessing indoor air quality, such as microbial isolation and PCR, primarily focus on detecting microorganisms.
- Emerging evidence highlights microbial toxins, metabolic products, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials as significant indoor air health risks.
- Current detection methods may not fully capture the health impact of these complex chemical exposures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a viewpoint on novel methods for assessing indoor air toxicity.
- To illustrate the potential of using phagocytes, specifically neutrophils, as biological probes for toxicity assessment.
- To highlight the utility of neutrophils in both in vitro and in vivo toxicological evaluations.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing neutrophils as toxicological probes, either directly exposed to agents in vitro or as indicators in vivo.
- Measuring chemiluminescence emission from activated phagocytes as a response indicator.
- Quantitatively assessing the expression of complement and immunoglobulin receptors on phagocyte surfaces using flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- Neutrophils demonstrate potential as sensitive indicators of exposure to indoor air toxicants.
- Chemiluminescence and receptor expression changes in neutrophils provide measurable responses to toxic agents.
- These phagocyte-based assays offer a functional assessment of biological impact.
Conclusions:
- Phagocytes, particularly neutrophils, offer a promising approach for assessing the toxicity of indoor air environments.
- Neutrophil-based assays provide a direct measure of biological response to harmful indoor air components.
- This perspective advocates for the integration of neutrophil-based toxicology into indoor air quality assessment strategies.
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