David A Edwards, Aurélie Edwards, Dan Li, Linying Wang, Kian Fan Chung, Deen Bhatta, Andreas Bilstein, Justin Hanes, Indika Endirisinghe, Britt Burton Freeman, Mark Gutay, Alessandra Livraghi-Butrico, Brian Button
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Global warming increases water evaporation rates from planetary ecosystems. Here, we show that evaporation rates encountered during human breathing in dehydrating atmospheres promotes airway inflammation and potentially exacerbates lung diseases. Continuum mathematical analysis predicts that water evaporation thins airway mucus layers and compresses epithelial cells during tidal breathing. Experiments using human tracheal-bronchial cells confirm that exposure to air with progressive degrees of dryness (relative humidities of 95%, 60% and 30% at 37°C) causes the mucus layer to progressively thin (by 5%, 35%, and 58%). Associated compression of epithelial cells elevates secretion of inflammatory cytokines ( , IL-33, and IL-6). Exposing mice with a muco-inflammatory phenotype to intermittent dry air for 7 days results in histopathological changes and alteration of inflammatory infiltrates. Together with climate model simulations, these findings suggest that most of the United States will be at elevated risk of airway inflammation by the latter half of this century.
期刊介绍:
Communications Earth & Environment is an open access journal from Nature Portfolio publishing high-quality research, reviews and commentary in all areas of the Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. Research papers published by the journal represent significant advances that bring new insight to a specialized area in Earth science, planetary science or environmental science.
Communications Earth & Environment has a 2-year impact factor of 7.9 (2022 Journal Citation Reports®). Articles published in the journal in 2022 were downloaded 1,412,858 times. Median time from submission to the first editorial decision is 8 days.