Particulate Matter (Fine Particle) and Urologic Diseases

Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) has been found to damage vital body organs, including the lungs and heart, through vascular damage and oxidative stress. Recently, renal function and chronic urologic diseases have also been found to be related to PM. To investigate this, we reviewed the characteristics of PM related to renal toxicity, including recent studies on the associations of urologic diseases with PM. PM can include constituents that cause renal toxicity, such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and crystalline silica, which result in renal tubular or interstitial damage. Since 2008, 7 studies have evaluated the renal effects of PM. Two prospective cohort studies and a quantitative study of consecutive patients showed that PM may be related to decreased renal function, as shown by the estimated glomerular filtration rate of diseased or aged participants. Two cross-sectional studies found an association between PM and chronic kidney disease. One of those studies identified the specific renal diseases of immunoglobulin A nephropathy and membranous nephropathy. Two studies that analyzed renal cancer and PM showed no evidence that renal cancer is related to PM. Nine studies were evaluated regarding the relationship of bladder and prostate cancer with PM. The evidence for an association of PM with bladder and prostate cancer is still inconclusive. Although some recently published studies have shown a significant relationship, the causal relationship is not clear. Further well-designed studies on specific renal diseases are required.

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“…Although mechanisms underlying the relationship of PM exposure and kidney dysfunction are not clear, it is known that particles less than 10 microns and, in particular ultrafine particles [ 30 ], can penetrate the pulmonary region of the lungs and enter the circulatory system. These particles can pass through the glomeruli into the urine with reabsorption into renal tubular cells [ 31 ]. Due to their high metabolic function, the tubules are especially sensitive to PM 2.5 , heavy metals, and other toxicants [ 31 ].…”

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“…Lead is an environmental pollutant that is associated with a multitude of deleterious health effects in exposed individuals. Lead exposure in the general population contributes to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension [ 5 ], renal damage [ 6 ], and issues with cognitive and/or behavioral development [ 7 ]. The action of lead as an antagonist of behavioral and cognitive growth is of particular concern to youths and adolescents, as approximately 1.7 million American high school students and 500,000 middle school students used e-cigarettes at least once in the past 30 days throughout 2016 [ 8 ].…”

Toxicological evaluation of airborne particulate matter. Are cell culture technologies ready to replace animal testing?

“…There is evidence in the literature that ultrafine PM may also be found in the circulation and be dangerous for other organs such as the liver and kidney, as well for the cardiovascular system (Dey et al, ; E.‐A. Kim, ; Terzano, Di Stefano, Conti, Graziani, & Petroianni, ; Sacks et al, ).…”

“…After inhalation, the fine and ultrafine fractions are able to reach pulmonary bronchioli and alveoli and interact with the epithelial barrier. There is evidence in the literature that ultrafine PM may also be found in the circulation and be dangerous for other organs such as the liver and kidney, as well for the cardiovascular system (Dey et al, 2015;E.-A. Kim, 2017;Terzano, Di Stefano, Conti, Graziani, & Petroianni, 2010;Sacks et al, 2011).…”