Disclosure Statement: The authors report no conflicts of interests.
Research Article
Endotoxin inhalation alters lung development in neonatal mice†
Article first published online: 10 MAY 2012
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22061
Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Issue
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Special Issue: Research Contributions from the United States International Training and Research in Environmental and Occupational Health Program: Part 1
Volume 55, Issue 12, pages 1146–1158, December 2012
Additional Information
How to Cite
Kulhankova, K., George, C. L.S., Kline, J. N., Darling, M. and Thorne, P. S. (2012), Endotoxin inhalation alters lung development in neonatal mice. Am. J. Ind. Med., 55: 1146–1158. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22061
- †
Publication History
- Issue published online: 7 NOV 2012
- Article first published online: 10 MAY 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 6 APR 2012
Funded by
- NIH. Grant Number: P30 ES05605
- NIH, Fogarty International Center. Grant Number: D43TW000621
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- endotoxin;
- lipopolysaccharide;
- neonatal;
- lung development;
- environmental exposures;
- alveolarization;
- childhood asthma;
- hygiene hypothesis;
- bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Abstract
Background
Childhood asthma is a significant public health problem. Epidemiologic evidence suggests an association between childhood asthma exacerbations and early life exposure to environmental endotoxin. Although the pathogenesis of endotoxin-induced adult asthma is well studied, questions remain about the impact of environmental endotoxin on pulmonary responsiveness in early life.
Methods
We developed a murine model of neonatal/juvenile endotoxin exposures approximating those in young children and evaluated the lungs inflammatory and remodeling responses.
Results
Persistent lung inflammation induced by the inhalation of endotoxin in early life was demonstrated by the influx of inflammatory cells and pro-inflammatory mediators to the airways and resulted in abnormal alveolarization.
Conclusions
Results of this study advance the understanding of the impact early life endotoxin inhalation has on the lower airways, and demonstrates the importance of an experimental design that approximates environmental exposures as they occur in young children. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55:1146–1158, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.