Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Role Of Iron And Reactive Oxygen Species In Particulate Air Pollution-Dependent Biochemical And Biological Activities, Kevin Richard Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Particulate air pollution is known to exacerbate respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in humans. It has been proposed that transition meta ls from inhaled particles may play a role in this exacerbation by generating radical species leading to damage in the lungs.

The aim of this research was to determine the role that iron from particulate air pollution played in the generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequently the induction of inflammatory mediators in cells in culture. The production of reactive oxygen species by particulate air pollution was found to be dependent on the mobilization …

Mobilization Of Iron Enhances The Iron-Dependent Biochemical Reactivity Of Asbestos In Vitro And Contributes To The Cytotoxicity Of Asbestos In Cultured Cells, Loren Glen Lund

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Asbestos related research began approximately 60 years ago, yet, the mechanism(s) by which asbestos exerts its biological effects is not well understood. The hypothesis upon which this dissertation is based is that mobilization of iron from asbestos enhances the iron-dependent biochemical reactivity of asbestos in vitro and contributes to asbestos-dependent cytotoxicity. The specific aims for this hypothesis were, 1) to determine whether iron was responsible for the biochemical reactivity of asbestos in vitro and asbestos-induced cytotoxicity in cultured cells, and 2) to determine whether mobilization of iron from asbestos enhanced the reactions catalyzed by asbestos in vitro and contributes to …