부산대학교 도서관

Background: Ambient air pollution (AAP) is an essential global problem that affects most of the body's organs, including the kidneys. We investigated the effects of AAP, sulfur dioxide (S[O.sub.2]), and ozone ([O.sub.3]) on kidney functions, histology, antioxidant enzymes, and apoptosis gene expressions in Wistar rats. Methods: The rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 8): control, AAP, S[O.sub.2] (10 ppm), and [O.sub.3] (0.6 ppm) groups. Blood urea and creatinine, kidney tissue superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase activities, and malondialdehyde were determined after exposure to AAP, S[O.sub.2], or [O.sub.3] for 3 hours per day for 5 weeks. Kidney tissue was examined by light microscopy, and the expression of BCL-2, BAX, and caspases-3,-8, and caspase-9 were evaluated by the reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique. Results: Mild to moderate histopathological changes in AAP and moderate-to- severe changes in S[O.sub.2] and [O.sub.3] groups were reported. Increment of serum urea in S[O.sub.2] and AAP groups (P = .017 and P = .045), kidney catalase in AAP group (P = .008), total antioxidant capacity in [O.sub.3] group (P < .001), caspase-8 expression in S[O.sub.2] group (P = .035), caspase-8, and caspase-9 expressions in [O.sub.3] group (P < .001 and P = .003) were significant. p53 expression in the kidney of the AAP group was less than that of the control group (P = .018). Conclusion: Ambient air pollution, S[O.sub.2], and [O.sub.3] exposures in the concentrations used in our study cause kidney dysfunction, stimulate oxidative stress defense enzymes, cause histopathological changes, and downregulate kidney p53 expression. Keywords: Air pollution, apoptosis, caspases, kidney, ozone, sulfur dioxide
INTRODUCTION Ambient (outdoor) air pollution (AAP) is a mixture of suspended particles and gases whose concentrations harm humans. (1) Air pollutants can refer to suspended particles, chemicals, including stable organic [...]