Figure 1: A coal-burning power plant emits air pollution during the manufacturing process (Source credit: Sciencenews)
“Air pollution damages the human respiratory system.” This infamous saying has been proven to be true per the results of a recent research.
Utilizing 84 lung immune tissues donated by donors from age 11 to 93 years old (nonsmokers, no history of heavy smoking) researchers at Columbia University conducted an analysis on the overall health of the donors. Surprisingly, results revealed that as the age of the donors increased, the lungs’ lymph nodes, responsible for filtering foreign substances and storing immune cells, contained an increased amount of particulate matter.
According to Elizabeth Kovacs, a cell biologist who studies inflammation and injury at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, clogged lymph nodes prevent the clusters of cells from their optimal function.
As lymph nodes are home to a significant number of immune cells, including the macrophages, structures specialized for bacterial destruction, particulate matter accumulation is an especially dire issue. Clogged with particulate matter and other air pollutants, the macrophages’ ability to produce cytokines and proteins to activate other immune cells decreased. Furthermore, cells have also shown signs that reveal a decreased capacity for combating pathogens.
The results of the research indicates that older people may not be able to accumulate more debris, as their lymph nodes are already damaged and filled to the brim. This impairs their ability to deal with inhaled material in the future.
On a final note, the research team states that pollution “is an ongoing and growing threat to the health and livelihood of the world’s population,” and a result of this threat includes “a chronic and ubiquitous impact” on respiratory immunity with age.
Works Cited
Cunningham, Aimee. “Pollution Weakens the Lungs' Immune Defenses over Time.” Science News, 21 Nov. 2022, https://www.sciencenews.org/article/pollution-weakens-lungs-immune-defenses.
B.B. Ural et al. Inhaled particulate accumulation with age impairs immune function and architecture in human lung lymph nodes. Nature Medicine. Published online November 21, 2022. doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-02073-x.
Comments