Mechanisms of cardiovascular toxicity induced by PM_2.5: a review

An increasing number of studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) could affect the onset and development of cardiovascular diseases. To explore the underlying mechanisms, the studies conducted in vitro investigations using different cell lines. In this review, we examined recently published reports cited by PubMed or Web of Science on the topic of cardiovascular toxicity induced by PM_2.5 that carried the term in vitro. Here, we summarized the suggested mechanisms of PM_2.5 leading to adverse effects and cardiovascular toxicity including oxidative stress; the increase of vascular endothelial permeability; the injury of vasomotor function and vascular reparative capacity in vascular endothelial cell lines; macrophage polarization and apoptosis in macrophage cell lines; and hypermethylation and apoptosis in the AC16 cell line and the related signaling pathways, which provided a new research direction of cardiovascular toxicity of PM_2.5.