Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and changes in exhaled nitric oxide and DNA methylation in arginase and nitric oxide synthase in children with asthma

Abstract Background Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) has been associated with increased risk of airway inflammation in children asthma. While epigenetic changes could potentially modulate TRAP-induced inflammatory responses, few studies have assessed the temporal pattern exposure to TRAP, and Our goal was test time-lag patterns personal (measured as fractional exhaled nitric oxide, FeNO), DNA methylation promoter regions genes involved oxide synthesis among Methods We measured black carbon (BC) FeNO for up 30 days a panel collected 90 buccal cell samples analysis from 18 (5 per child). Methylation synthase ( NOS1, NOS2A, NOS3 ) arginase ARG1, ARG2 by bisulfite pyrosequencing. Linear-mixed effect models were used associations BC at different lag periods, percent each site level. Results Exposure positively FeNO, negatively . found strongest association between 0–6 h while positions 1 2 13–24 0–24 h, respectively. The strengths attenuated longer periods. No significant TRAP levels other NOS ARG isoforms observed. Conclusions higher lower gene, indicating that gene be an important mechanism physiological responses