| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2009: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2008: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000)
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| Research Abstract |
The development of nano-technology has increased the risk of our exposure to types of particles other than combustion-derived particles in the environment. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are being applied in wide-ranging areas from the semiconductor industry and are reportedly increasing in environmental exposure. CNTs possess significant characteristics in size (1-20 nm width, and many microns in length), strength, and surface chemistry. The aim of the present study was therefore to experimentally elucidate whether CNTs exacerbate asthmatic symptoms in mice.BALB/c mice intratracheally sensitized with vehicle, ovalbumine (OVA), CNTs or OVA+CNTs were repeatedly challenged with OVA. Biphasic asthmatic response and goblet cell hyperplasia in the mice sensitized with OVA+CNTs were more severe than those in mice sensitized with OVA. Furthermore, the infiltration of leukocytes (macrophages, lynphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils) and the productions of OVA-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a were also aggravated. Taken together, CNT can exacerbate biphasic asthmatic response and goblet cell hyperplasia, at least partly, via the infiltration of leucocytes (macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils) and/or productions of IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a.
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