Monocyte subpopulations, airway inflammation and lung function in patients with occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from exposure to industrial aerosols containing nanoparticles

Background: Occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is major health consequence of workplace inhalation of dust. Less is known about influence of incidental nanoparticles on COPD pathogenesis and phenotype. Objective: To evaluate the main monocyte subpopulations in COPD from exposure to industrial aerosols, containing nanoparticles and reveal associations with phenotype. Methods: COPD subjects, 20 exposed to industrial aerosol, 25 tobacco smokers enrolled. Controls - 20 healthy people. Groups were matched by age, gender, smoking status. Nanoparticles in workplaces air were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Monocyte subpopulations were detected by flow cytometry. Lung function tests, sputum cytology, lung CT densitometry were done. Results: In foundry workers median of classical CD14+CD16- monocytes proportion was the highest - 96.8%, p Conclusions: In occupational COPD, monocyte subpopulations are dependent on elemental composition and mass concentration of incidental nanoparticles and associated with phenotype.