Asphalt Exposure Enhances Neuropeptide Levels in Sensory Neurons Projecting to the Rat Nasal Epithelium

Details

• Personal Author:
  Castranova, Vincent ; Dey R ; Frazer D ; Sikora E ; Stone S ; Tomblyn S
• Description:
  Asphalt fumes have been reported to produce nasal irritation in road workers. Since inhaled irritants can increase substance P (SP) production in airway neurons, the effects of asphalt fumes on SP production in trigeminal ganglia (TG) sensory neurons innervating the nasal mucosa were investigated. The effects of asphalt fumes on nasal mucosal innervation were examined by measuring SP and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels in rat TG neurons projecting to the nasal epithelium. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to asphalt fumes at 16.0 +/- 8.1mg /m3 for 5 consecutive days, 3.5 h/d. Inflammatory cells were measured in nasal cavity lavage fluid. SP and CGRP immunoreactivity (IR) was measured in the cell bodies of trigeminal ganglion sensory neurons projecting to the nasal cavity. A significant increase in neutrophils and macrophages was observed after asphalt fume exposure indicating an inflammatory response in the nasal cavity. The percentage of SP-IR neurons increased significantly in the asphalt-exposed rats, and the proportion of CGRP-IR neurons was also elevated following asphalt exposure. These results indicate that exposure to asphalt fumes produces inflammation and increases the levels of SP and CGRP in TG neurons projecting to the nasal epithelium. The findings are consistent with asphalt-induced activation of sensory C-fibers in the nasal cavity. Enhanced sensory neuropeptide release from nerve terminals in the nasal cavity may produce neurogenic inflammation associated with nasal irritation following exposure to asphalt fumes. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Animals Genetics Hydrocarbons Laboratories Nose Occupational Health Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Safety Sense Organs
• Keywords:
  Animal-studies Aromatic-hydrocarbons Asphalt-fumes Cell-function Genes Laboratory-animals Nasal-cavity Peptides Polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons Polycyclic-hydrocarbons
• ISSN:
  0098-4108
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  66
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022961
• Citation:
  J Toxicol Environ Health A 2003 Jun; 66(11):1015-1027
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr. Richard D. Dey, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Robert C. Byrd Heath Sciences Center, PO Box 9128, Morgantown, WV 26506-9128, USA
• Email:
  rdey@hcs.wvu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2003
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A: Current Issues
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5282c1b58c98eb365eb0417460726870d37c3cfd0a4074f14f4b31438fe46bf9b99c60755df288b1351662e87efbe6df5f7936a436f82c388750a4dc13d3f822
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199565/cdc_199565_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.62 MB ]