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| Age-standardised disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates from Cirrhosis of the liver by country (per 100,000 inhabitants). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Exposure to Fine Airborne Particulate Matters Induces Hepatic Fibrosis in Murine Models (Abstract, Ze Zheng, Xuebao Zhang, Jiemei Wang, Aditya Dandeka, Hyunbae Kim, Yining Qiu, Xiaohua Xu, Yuqi Cui, Aixia Wang, Lung Chi Chen, Sanjay Rajagopalan, Qinghua Sun, Kezhong Zhang, Journal of Hepatology, Jul. 25, 2015)
Also discussed here: Scientists discover mechanism for air pollution-induced liver disease (Science Daily, Sep. 2, 2015)
Today we review research into the effects that particulate matter has on the liver. Results indicate a causal link between PM 2.5 and liver fibrosis which is associated with liver cancer and most types of chronic liver diseases. Those who have a high exposure to particulates from daily traffic need to have their markers for liver disease checked more closely.
Key Quotes:
“exposure to air pollution has a direct adverse health effect on the liver and causes liver fibrosis, an illness associated with metabolic disease and liver cancer”
“PM2.5 has direct effects on the liver, triggering liver fibrosis, a pathological condition characterized by accumulation of the extracellular matrix protein collagen that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases.”
“Utilizing molecular, cellular and pathological approaches, the team discovered the stress sensor on the cell membrane that initiates PM2.5-triggered stress signals and the mediators inside the cell that transduces the signaling”
"Liver fibrosis is an advanced stage of chronic liver injuries caused by chronic hepatitis viral infection, obesity, alcoholism or autoimmune diseases. Our work defined that air pollution, specifically PM2.5 pollutant, is an independent risk factor of liver fibrosis.”
"Physicians or health care professionals should monitor liver pathology and consider preventive therapeutic strategies for liver disease for populations and patients in urban air pollution environments."
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