Lipid changes in extrapulmonary organs and serum of rats after chronic exposure to ambient fine particulate matter
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
784
Date Issued
2021-08-25
Author(s)
Chen, Ting Zhen
Lee, Sheng Han
Liang, Hao Jan
Chou, Charles C.K.
Tang, Chuan Ho
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM ) is able to pass through the respiratory barrier to enter the circulatory system and can consequently spread to the whole body to cause toxicity. Although our previous studies have revealed significantly altered levels of phosphorylcholine-containing lipids in the lungs of rats after chronic inhalation exposure to PM , the effects of PM on phosphorylcholine-containing lipids in the extrapulmonary organs have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we examined the lipid effects of chronic PM exposure on various organs and serum by using a rat inhalation model followed by a mass spectrometry-based lipidomic approach. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously exposed at the whole body level to nonfiltered and nonconcentrated ambient air from the outside environment of Taipei city for 8 months, while the control rats inhaled filtered air simultaneously. After exposure, serum samples and various organs, including the testis, pancreas, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, and epididymis, were collected for lipid extraction and analysis to examine the changes in phosphorylcholine-containing lipids after exposure. The results from the partial least squares discriminant analysis models demonstrated that the lipid profiles in the PM exposure group were different from those in the control group in the rat testis, pancreas, heart, liver, kidney and serum. The greatest PM -induced lipid effects were observed in the testes. Decreased lyso-phosphatidylcholines (PCs) as well as increased unsaturated diacyl-PCs and sphingomyelins in the testes may be related to maintaining the membrane integrity of spermatozoa, antioxidation, and cell signaling. Additionally, our results showed that decreased PC(16:0/18:1) was observed in both the serum and testes. In conclusion, exposure to chronic environmental concentrations of PM caused lipid perturbation, especially in the testes of rats. This study highlighted the susceptibility of the testes and suggested possible molecular events for future study. 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
Subjects
Chronic exposure | Lipidomics | Phosphorylcholine-containing lipids | PM 2.5 | Testis | Toxicity
Type
journal article