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Air Pollution Particulate Matter Collected from an Appalachian Mountaintop Mining Site Induces Microvascular Dysfunction
Author(s) -
Knuckles Travis L.,
Stapleton Phoebe A.,
Minarchick Valerie C.,
Esch Laura,
McCawley Michael,
Hendryx Michael,
Nurkiewicz Timothy R.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
microcirculation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.793
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1549-8719
pISSN - 1073-9688
DOI - 10.1111/micc.12014
Subject(s) - vasodilation , arteriole , medicine , endothelium , population , microcirculation , vasoconstriction , endocrinology , cardiology , pharmacology , environmental health
Abstract Objective Air pollution PM is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Appalachia, PM from mining may represent a health burden to this sensitive population that leads the nation in cardiovascular disease, among others. Cardiovascular consequences following inhalation of PM MTM are unclear, but must be identified to establish causal effects. Methods PM was collected within 1 mile of an active MTM site in southern WV . The PM was extracted and was primarily <10 μm in diameter ( PM 10 ), consisting largely of sulfur (38%) and silica (24%). Adult male rats were IT with 300 μg PM MTM . Twenty‐four hours following exposure, rats were prepared for intravital microscopy, or isolated arteriole experiments. Results PM MTM exposure blunted endothelium‐dependent dilation in mesenteric and coronary arterioles by 26%, and 25%, respectively, as well as endothelium‐independent dilation. In vivo , PM MTM exposure inhibited endothelium‐dependent arteriolar dilation (60% reduction). α‐adrenergic receptor blockade inhibited PVNS ‐induced vasoconstriction in exposed animals compared with sham. Conclusions These data suggest that PM MTM exposure impairs microvascular function in disparate microvascular beds, through alterations in NO ‐mediated dilation and sympathetic nerve influences. Microvascular dysfunction may contribute to cardiovascular disease in regions with MTM sites.