Inflammation response and cytotoxic effects in human XXXX  cells of size-fractionated PM10 extracts in a polluted urban site.

@entity1357 @entity137 @entity4187 @entity310 @entity687
UNASSIGNED: To contribute to a greater characterization of the airborne particulate matter's @entity137 , size-fractionated PM10 was sampled during different seasons in a polluted urban site in Torino, a northern Italian city. Three main size fractions (PM10 - 3   m; PM3 - 0.95   m; PM  <  0.95   m) extracts (organic and aqueous) were assayed with @entity1357  cells to evaluate their effects on cell proliferation, LDH activity, @entity310 , @entity687 and @entity4187 expression. The mean PM10 concentrations were statistically different in summer and in winter and the finest fraction PM<0.95 was always higher than the others. Size-fractionated PM10 extracts, sampled in an urban traffic meteorological-chemical station produced size-related toxicological effects in relation to season and particles extraction. The PM summer extracts induced a significant release of LDH compared to winter and produced a size-related effect, with higher values measured with PM10-3. Exposure to size-fractionated PM10 extracts did not induce significant expression of @entity310 . @entity687 expression was influenced by exposure to size-fractionated PM10 extracts and statistically significant differences were found between kind of extracts for both seasons. The mean fold increases in @entity4187 expression were statistically different in summer and in winter; winter fraction extracts produced a size-related effect, in particular for organic samples with higher values measured with PM<0.95 extracts. Our results confirm that the only measure of PM can be misleading for the assessment of air quality moreover we support efforts toward identifying potential effect-based tools (e.g. in  vitro test) that could be used in the context of the different monitoring programs.
