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Toxicity of different biodiesel exhausts in primary human airway epithelial cells grown at air-liquid interfaceBiodiesel is created through the transesterification of fats/oils and its usage is increasing worldwide as global warming concerns increase. Biodiesel fuel properties change depending on the feedstock used to create it.
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Growth of the airway smooth muscle layer from late gestation to childhood is mediated initially by hypertrophy and subsequently hyperplasiaThe airway smooth muscle (ASM) layer thickens during development. Identifying the mechanism(s) for normal structural maturation of the ASM reveals pathways susceptible to disease processes. This study characterized thickening of the ASM layer from foetal life to childhood and elucidated the underlying mechanism in terms of hypertrophy, hyperplasia and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition.
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Exacerbation of chronic cigarette-smoke induced lung disease by rhinovirus in miceA significant proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations are strongly associated with rhinovirus infection (HRV). In this study, we combined long-term cigarette smoke exposure with HRV infection in a mouse model.
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Early moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal diet impact offspring DNA methylation across speciesAlcohol consumption in pregnancy can affect genome regulation in the developing offspring but results have been contradictory. We employed a physiologically relevant murine model of short-term moderate prenatal alcohol exposure resembling common patterns of alcohol consumption in pregnancy in humans.
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The respiratory health effects of acute in vivo diesel and biodiesel exhaust in a mouse modelBiodiesel, a renewable diesel fuel that can be created from almost any natural fat or oil, is promoted as a greener and healthier alternative to commercial mineral diesel without the supporting experimental data to back these claims. The aim of this research was to assess the health effects of acute exposure to two types of biodiesel exhaust, or mineral diesel exhaust or air as a control in mice.
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Adipose tissue in the small airways: How much is enough to drive functional changes?Obesity is a contributing factor to asthma severity; while it has long been understood that obesity is related to greater asthma burden, the mechanisms though which this occurs have not been fully elucidated. One common explanation is that obesity mechanically reduces lung volume through accumulation of adipose tissue external to the thoracic cavity.
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Persistent and compartmentalised disruption of dendritic cell subpopulations in the lung following influenza A virus infectionImmunological homeostasis in the respiratory tract is thought to require balanced interactions between networks of dendritic cell (DC) subsets in lung...
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Route of exposure alters inflammation and lung function responses to diesel exhaustIn this study, we compared the physiological consequences of short-term exposure to diesel exhaust via inhalation to those due to exposure to the same diesel...
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Rhinovirus exacerbates house-dust-mite induced lung disease in adult miceIn this study, we combined human-rhinovirus infection with a clinically relevant mouse model of aero-allergen exposure using house-dust-mite in an attempt to...
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The concentration of iron in real-world geogenic PM10 is associated with increased inflammation and deficits in lung function in miceMineral dusts in the occupational setting are associated with poor lung health, however very little is known about the impact of heterogeneous community...