The Study of Allergic Reactions in Mice Induced by Particulate Matter from Duck Houses

Although particulate matter (PM) is strongly associated with allergic reactions, the potential risk of the ability of PM derived from poultry houses to induce allergic reactions remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of duck housing PM on allergic reactions in mice. PM samples and fungi were collected from a duck farm. Ovalbumin (OVA) was used as a positive control, with ambient-level concentrations of PM, high-concentration PM (HPM), and fungal experimental groups. Aerosol exposure was performed on the mice. Serum IgE, allergic mediators (histamines and leukotrienes), cytokines, and pulmonary histopathology were analyzed. Furthermore, HPM-induced metabolic profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured. The results revealed that all the treatment groups of mice presented allergic symptoms, including sneezing and coughing; higher concentrations of IgE, His, and LTs in the serum; upregulation of allergic reaction-related cytokines, such as IL4, IL5, and IL33; and microscopic lesions of the lungs characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in all the treatment groups, indicating that PM and fungi can cause allergic reactions. Notably, allergic reactions were more pronounced in the HPM and fungal groups than in the PM group. In addition, metabolomics analyses revealed that HPM exposure caused metabolic disorders in mouse lungs. The key pathway with the highest correlation to metabolite differences was pyrimidine metabolism, which is associated with allergic reactions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that exposure to PM in duck houses can cause allergic reactions in mice and significant metabolomic changes in the lungs, especially HPM. Moreover, the contribution of fungal components in the PM cannot be ignored. These findings highlight the potential health risks associated with PM from the poultry industry.