Air pollution and children with cystic fibrosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reducing the effects of air pollution on children with cystic fibrosis
IRAS ID
215879
Contact name
Jonathan Grigg
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Director of Research Services and Business Development
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a condition where recurrent lung infections cause progressive lung damage. Children with CF are adversely affected by air pollution soot particles (e.g. from traffic). This study aims to address the vulnerability of CF children to air pollution. Firstly, their personal exposure will be assessed by using air pollution monitors, which will both be carried by participants/parents, and placed at their homes, over the course of 2 weeks. Secondly, by sampling cells called macrophages (cells that normally remove inhaled unwanted material) from their breathing tube (airway), we will find out whether removal of inhaled soot by these cells is impaired in CF. We expect to find lower amounts of soot in cells from CF children compared with healthy children.Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a substance produced in the lungs, it is known to be associated with impaired uptake of soot particles within the breathing tube. We will compare levels of PGE2 in the breathing tube in CF and healthy children. We then aim to co-design with parents and children tips on their own exposure reduction, such as avoiding hot spots.
Summary of Results
This project demonstrated that children with cystic fibrosis (CF), despite being exposure to comparable level of air pollutants to their healthy counterparts, they have impaired airway macrophages (immune cells) function against inhaled air pollutants - they are less able to engulf and remove inhaled pollutants. This is in part due to their underlying condition of CF, which predispose to them to having ongoing inflammation in the airway/lungs, inflammation increase the presence of a substance of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), this is found to have inhibitory effect on the the immune cells. Application of prostaglandin E2 inhibitors in a laboratory setting, reversed this phenomenon, to further support the theory.REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0023
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion