Location: Food Components and Health Laboratory
Project Number: 8040-10700-007-008-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 15, 2023
End Date: Sep 14, 2026
Objective:
1. Investigate the impact of diesel exhaust combustion particles generated from petrodiesel and biodiesel, as well as particles and ash from wood smoke, on inflammation and risk for asthma and allergy.
2. Determine dietary components that may mitigate adverse effects of particulate matter exposure in vitro and in vivo.
3.Determine the consequences of diesel and wood combustion particle inhalation on exacerbation of allergic airway disease in mouse models.
Approach:
There is growing consensus that environmental factors (e.g. air pollution, chemicals, nanoparticles) influence the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Inhaled combustion particles can also trigger acute inflammation and exacerbate underlying diseases such as allergic asthma. The qualitative and quantitative differences between the innate and allergic immune responses triggered by different types of combustion products, whether they be from petroleum-based diesel or biofuel-based diesel fuel, or from distinct types of wood combustion products will be studied using in vitro cell culture and in vivo rodent models. Increased consumption of plant-based foods is associated reduction in risk factors of a number of these chronic, non-communicable diseases. Using both in vitro cell culture and in vivo rodent models, investigation of whether specific phytonutrients or macronutrients can mitigate the inflammatory responses and subsequent disease pathogenesis that lead to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCD's) will be done.
