Parental PM2.5 exposure changes Th17/Treg cells in offspring, is associated with the elevation of blood pressure

Epidemiological evidences have indicated that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is associated with the occurrence and development of hypertension. The present study aims to explore the effects of parental PM2.5 exposure on blood pressure in offspring and elucidate the potential mechanism. The parental male and female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to concentrated PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) using Shanghai Meteorological and Environmental Animal Exposure System (Shanghai-METAS) for 16 weeks. At week 12, the mice were assigned to breed offspring. The male offspring mice were further exposed to PM2.5 or FA as above method. During the parental exposure, the average PM2.5 concentration was 133.7 +/- 53.32 mu g/m(3) in PM chamber, whereas the average concentration in FA chamber was 9.4 +/- 0.23 mu g/m(3). Similarly, during the offspring exposure, the average concentration in PM and FA chamber were 100.76 +/- 26.97 mu g/m(3) and 9.15 +/- 0.15 mu g/m(3), respectively. The PM2.5-exposed offspring mice displayed the elevation of blood pressure, the increase of angiotensin II (Ang II), the decrease of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and Ang (1-7) in serum when compared with the FA-exposed offspring mice. The similar results displayed in the proteins expression of ACE2, AT1R, and Ang (1-7) in vessel and kidney. More importantly, parental PM exposure further induced the increase in serous Ang II and the protein expression of AT1R in vessel, but decrease in ACE2 and Ang (1-7). The serous Ang II was positively associated with splenic T helper type 17 (Th17) cell population and serous IL (interleukin)-17A, but negatively associated with T regular (Treg) cell population and serous IL-10. The results suggested that parental air pollution exposure might induce the elevation of offspring blood pressure via mediate Th17- and Treg-related immune microenvironment.

Automated summary

The study found that parental exposure to PM2.5 can lead to elevated blood pressure in offspring, affecting the expression of related proteins in the vasculature and kidneys, and potentially mediating through Th17- and Treg-related immune microenvironment.