International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 5 authors, 6 centres
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The main finding was that EA significantly attenuated PM-induced pulmonary mRNA expression of inflammatory and hypoxic genes, and normalized locomotor hyperactivity, but did not prevent immune cell infiltration or cytokine secretion in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). A key limitation is the use of a short-term, high-dose PM exposure model, which may not fully reflect chronic human air pollution exposure.
This preclinical pilot study investigated the protective effects of the dietary polyphenol ellagic acid (EA) against pulmonary pathology and behavioral changes induced by particulate matter (PM) exposure in mice. The background links air pollution to pulmonary inflammation and behavioral disorders, hypothesizing that EA, with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, could mitigate these effects. Key results showed EA pretreatment significantly attenuated PM-induced mRNA expression of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines (*Il-1b*, *Tnfα*, *Il-6*) and hypoxia-responsive genes (*Ankrd37*, *Vegfα*). It also normalized PM-induced locomotor hyperactivity, as measured by decreased total, border, and center moving distances and mean speeds. However, EA did not prevent PM accumulation in the lung or reduce immune cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, TNFα) secretion in the BALF. Hydrogen peroxide levels in BALF and serum corticosterone were unaffected by any treatment. Limitations include the short-term (14-day) and high-dose experimental protocol, which may not fully model chronic human exposure. Implications suggest EA may have promise for preventing PM-induced inflammatory gene expression and behavioral alterations, warranting future studies with optimized exposure durations and concentrations.
