Effects of WTC Dust Exposure on Cardiac and Cognitive Functions

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cohen MD ; Gorr MW ; Wold LE
• Description:
  Data have revealed increases in cardiovascular (CVD) and neurodegenerative diseases in First Responders (FR) who were present at the Ground Zero over the 9/11-13/01 period. While it has yet not been shown if WTC (World Trade Center) dusts were causative for these pathologies in FR, our study of spontaneously hypertensive SHR rats exposed to WTC dusts noted previous reductions in airway ciliated cells and dust clearance from the lung. It is thus likely exposures to WTC dusts resulted in exaggerated responses in situ compared to that by other urban air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM). We know long-term exposure to ambient PM caused a heart failure phenotype in mice (decreased cardiac function and impaired cell function) and neurologic as well as Alzheimer disease (AD)-like changes. As both CVD and AD are age-related, share risk-factors, have overlapping bio-chemistries, and are characterized by aggregates of amyloid precursor protein (found in AD brains and CVD hearts), based on the "heart-to-head" pathogenesis paradigm, we hypothesize here that inhalation of Ground Zero dust particles likely led - in a manner exaggerating that caused by PM - to alterations in cardiac and cognitive function, so as to impart severe chronic impacts on FR health. As a model, SHR rats were exposed to WTC dust for two consecutive days (using dusts collected on-site 9/12-13/01). Both longitudinally and at fixed timepoints over a 3 month and 1-yr post-exposure period, data were obtained in support of two interrelated Aims. Aim 1 was to define effects of WTC dust exposures on CV function and Aβ aggregate accumulation in the heart. Aim 2 was to assess effects of the exposures on development of neurodegenerative disease. We found that there is minimal cardiac and pulmonary functional changes at up to 1 year follow-up, however we found clear retention of metals from the WTC dust and alterations in genes and proteins in the lungs and heart of these rats. The studies address NIOSH goals (CVD Cross-Sector Program, Public Safety Program [Priority 1: Reduce chronic illnesses among firefighters] and FFFFIPP [Goal 1: Reduce CV deaths among firefighters]), keep with major initiatives to reduce illness among firefighters/FR via NIOSH-generated knowledge, interventions, technologies, and fulfill the Zadroga Act research mandate. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular System Dust Emergency Responders Nervous System Occupational Health Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks
• Keywords:
  Cardiac Function Cognitive Function Dust Exposure Dust Inhalation First Responders Gene Mutation Neurophysiological Effects World Trade Center WTC
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Final Cooperative Agreement Report
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-35
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069464
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U01-OH-012056, 2022 Sep; :1-35
• Contact Point Address:
  Loren E. Wold, PhD, The Ohio State University, 603 Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, 473 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
• Email:
  Loren.wold@osumc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  Ohio State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20200701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20210630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c7ede9f972670ef8e592efd66650d7920975b46c70672cb76378a6ce9fb7f86334353efef11c4def02cd7b853fdc535f8d12295e8d0d8166f9fd26017e5d8525
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219226/cdc_219226_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.46 MB ]