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Exposure to environmental pollutants is related to sore throats and increased expression of HLA‐DQ in the upper airway mucosa of man
Author(s) -
Rees L.E.N.,
Jones P.,
Pinkerton K.,
Cogan T.,
Ayling S.M.,
Belafsky P.,
Birchall M.A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
clinical otolaryngology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.914
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1749-4486
pISSN - 1749-4478
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-4486.2008.01843_4.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sore throat , immunology , population , antigen , immune system , biopsy , human leukocyte antigen , cd8 , gastroenterology , pathology , environmental health
Objectives. To determine the symptomatic and mucosal immune response to environmental pollution in UK population. Methods. We performed a prospective, matched questionnaire and laryngeal biopsy study in normal persons ( n = 63). Subjects completed a validated health questionnaire. Levels of exposure to pollutants for the year prior to the study were determined via area‐based measurements of environmental particulates and composite air quality indices (CAQI). Quantitative multiple‐colour immunofluorescence was used to measure in vivo expression of antigens in laryngeal mucosal pinch biopsies: CD45 (RO, RC: leucocytes), CD4, CD8, CD79, (lymphocytes), MHC I, II (antigen presenting molecules). Multiple linear regression, correcting for age, was used to explore the relationship between dependent variables and pollution measures. Results. Complete data were available for 49 (questionnaire) and 54 (immunohistology) subjects. High levels of particulates and CAQI were associated with self‐reported frequent sore throats ( P = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively), and with a trend towards increased asthma ( P = 0.07 and 0.08). Dual HLA‐DQ (MHC II) and CD45 (leucocyte) expression by laryngeal epithelium was significantly correlated with levels of particulates ( P = 0.03) and CAQI ( P = 0.04). CAQI alone was significantly associated with CD4+ expression ( P = 0.002). Conclusions. Pollution is known be associated with an increased prevalence of asthma, but this is the first report of an association with throat symptoms. We hypothesise that environmental pollution may contribute to pharyngeal inflammation by selective up‐regulation of the MHC Class II molecule, HLA‐DQ in epithelium and subsequent activation of leucocytes.