Cardiopulmonary and Immune Effects of Environmental Particulate Exposures

Ninety-nine percent of the global population breathes air containing elevated levels of air pollutants, exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality limits. Among these pollutants, WHO has identified particulate matter (PM) as a top ten killer, causing injurious effects on many organ systems. In recent years, wildfire events have increased in severity, duration, and frequency, eliciting hazardous air pollutants including PM that have been known to cause adverse health effects. Therefore, the purpose of this comprehensive review is to dissect and summarize the known systemic effects of PM and wildfire exposure, covering pathways and mechanisms through which these effects occur. Notably, both PM and wildfire exposures increase cytokine release and oxidative stress, associated with a heightened risk of dysfunction within several organ systems, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, and even the development of autoimmune diseases. This manuscript will discuss the interconnection between systems and identify areas for further studies.