Ambient Particulate Matter and Acrolein Co-Exposure Increases Myocardial Dyssynchrony in Mice via TRPA1

We have examined the potential for interactive cardiovascular effects of repeated, intermittent co-exposure to concentrated ambient particulate matter (CAPs) and acrolein, and the potential role of transient receptor potential cation channel A1 (TRPA1), which we previously linked to air pollution-induced cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Chemical and source characteristics of collected particles was evaluated, as well as wind and weather patterns during exposure. Female B6129 mice and Trpa1-/- mice (n=6) were exposed to filtered air (FA), CAPs (46 µg/m3 of PM2.5 approximately 160 nm diameter), Acrolein (0.42 ppm) or CAPs+Acrolein for 3hrs/day, 2days/week, for 4 weeks. Cardiac strain data, heart function and dimensions, and transmitral blood flow were investigated with echocardiography (40 MHz) before exposures, 1 day after the first exposure, and 1 day after the final exposure. Several other biological endpoints were evaluated but the key findings from ultrasound echocardiography assessments were: elapsed time between peak strain in adjacent wall segments (i.e. myocardial strain delay), a measure of myocardial dyssynchrony, increased by ~5-fold in B6129 mice after the final exposure to CAPs+Acrolein when compared to strain delay in B6129 mice exposed to FA, CAPs, or Acrolein alone, and when compared to strain delay in Trpa1-/- mice exposed to CAPs+Acrolein. There were no changes after the first exposure in any group.

This dataset is associated with the following publication: Thompson, L., L. Walsh, B. Martin, J. Mcgee, C. Wood, K. Kovalcik, P. Pancras, N. Coates, A. Ledbetter, D. Davies, W. Cascio, M. Higuchi, M. Hazari, and A. Farraj. Ambient Particulate Matter and Acrolein Co-Exposure Increases Myocardial Dyssynchrony in Mice: Evidence for TRPA1 Involvement. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Society of Toxicology, RESTON, VA, 167(2): 559-572, (2019).