The Effect of Iraqi PM and Cigarette Smoke on the Pathogenesis of Acute Airway Inflammation and Airway Hyper-Responsiveness In Rats

Due to the large number of military and civilian personnel deployed to the Middle East, we sought to determine if inhaled sand-derived particulate matter (PM) contributes to the pathogenesis of respiratory conditions observed among US troops deployed to the region. The objectives of this study include investigating the pathogenesis of acute airway inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness associated with Iraqi sand-derived PM and whether cigarette smoking exacerbates these pulmonary conditions. In this study male rats will undergo a 6 weeks inhalation exposure to various combinations of air, cigarette smoke, Iraqi sand particulate and US silica particulate. Endpoints will focus on bioassay data for the identification and characterization of physiologic, biochemical, molecular and structural biomarkers of pulmonary disease or distress. Further analysis will address whether the observed high frequency of cigarette smoking among personnel exacerbates the toxicity of inhaled Iraqi sand particles.