Assessment of Aminopeptidase A expression on lung of mice exposed to particulate matter 2,5

• Grant number: 14/13220-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: September 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Chin Jia Lin
• Grantee: Caroline do Valle Rotter
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

During the last few decades the generation of pollutants by man has increased exponentially transforming air pollution in one of the most important health risk factors at the present time. There are solid epidemiological evidence relating air pollution with harmful effects upon the cardiovascular system. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying those effects are not entirely clear, therefore, elucidating the reasons why this association occurs in human body is extremely important. In experiments using microarray, our group has detected Enpep decreased expression in lung endothelium of mice exposed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) (components of air pollution with aerodynamic diameter lower than 2.5 mm). This gene encodes aminopeptidase which is responsible for the conversion of Angiotensin II (ANG II) to Angiotensin III (ANGIII) in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), suggesting that this is related to the cardiovascular effects induced by an acute exposure to pollution. This study aims to explore in greater depth the findings from microarray using the technique of real-time PCR. The results of this project will allow the confirmation of the role of this gene in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular complications triggered by the exposure to particulate matter.