Table 2.
Animal studies evaluating the effect of particulate air pollution on atherosclerosis
| Study | PM fraction (mode of administration) | Animal model | Diet | Assessment of atherosclerosis (method) | Effect of PM on atherosclerosis | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suwa et al. 2002 | PM10 (IT) | Watanabe rabbits | Chow | Percent lesional volume in coronary arteries and aorta (histology) | Increase | (Suwa et al. 2002) |
| Chen and Nadziejko 2005 | PM2.5 (inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/−, LDL−/− mice and apoE−/− mice | Chow | Percent lesional area in whole aorta (histology) | No change (apoE−/−, LDL−/− mice) increase (apoE−/− mice) | (Chen and Nadziejko 2005) |
| Sun et al. 2005 | PM2.5 (inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/− mice | Chow or CED | Percent lesional area in cross-sections of aorta (histology) | N.S. increase (chow-fed mice). Increase (CED-fed mice) | (Sun et al. 2005) |
| Niwa et al. 2007 | Carbon black (IT) | LDL-R−/− mice | CED | Percent lesional area in whole aorta (histology) | Increase | (Niwa et al. 2007) |
| Sun et al. 2008 | PM2.5 (Inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/− mice | Chow or CED | Percent lesional area in aorta (ultrasound) | N.S. increase (chow-fed mice). Increase (CED-fed mice) | (Sun et al. 2008) |
| Yatera et al. 2008 | PM10 (IT) | Watanabe rabbits | Chow | Percent lesional volume and% lesional area in the aorta (histology) | Increase | (Yatera et al. 2008) |
| Araujo et al. 2008 | PM2.5 and UFP (Inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/− mice | Chow | Mean lesional area in aortic root (histology) | N.S. increase (PM2.5-exposed mice) Increase (UFP-exposed mice) | (Araujo et al. 2008) |
| Castro-Soares et al. 2009 | PM (inhaled polluted air) | LDLR−/− mice | CED | Percent lesional area in aortic root. Aortic wall thickness (histology) | No change in lesional area.Increase in wall thickness | (Soares et al. 2009) |
| Ying et al. 2009a | PM2.5 (inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/− mice | CED | Percent lesional area in cross-sections of aorta (histology) | Increase | (Ying et al. 2009a) |
| Campen et al. 2010 | PM + gasses (Inhaled DE) | apoE−/− mice | CED | Percent lesional area in the aortic root plaque composition | N.S. increase. Increase in macrophage content | (Campen et al. 2010) |
| Chen et al. 2010 | PM2.5 (inhaled CAPs) | apoE−/− mice | Chow | Percent lesional area in brachiocephalic and left common arteries (ultrasound) | Increase | (Chen et al. 2010) |
| Quan et al. 2010 | PM±/− gasses (Inhaled CAPs vs. Inhaled whole DE or DE gasses) | apoE−/− mice | Chow | Percent lesional area in brachiocephalic artery (ultrasound) | Increase (CAPs ≥ whole DE ≥ DE gasses = filtered air) | (Quan et al. 2010) |
Studies are shown in chronological order based on the year of publication. IT intratraqueal, CAPs concentrated ambient particles, DE diesel emissions, CED cholesterol-enriched diet, NS not significant. Modified from Araujo (2011)