(Janus, the popular science quarterly of Amsterdam UMC, reaches healthcare professionals, institutions, and policy bodies across the Netherlands.) https://www.janusmagazine.nl/amsterdam-umc-janus-2-2024/hoogvlieger
HIGH-FLYER | Dangers of ultrafine particles
Text: John Ekkelboom • Photo: Mark Horn
“Ultrafine particles can negatively affect the development of kidneys in fetuses and babies and may potentially lead to chronic kidney diseases. I want to investigate on a molecular level what exactly happens in these organs. There's virtually no known information about this,” says Alessandra Tammaro, who is pleased to have received a Starting Grant of €25,000 from the Spinoza Fund of the Amsterdam University Fund for this research. She is a postdoc and junior group leader within the Department of Pathology at Amsterdam UMC. “Ultrafine particles are those measuring 100 nanometers or smaller—about one-thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. Unlike larger fine particles, ultrafine particles can enter the bloodstream via the lungs and reach other organs. Traffic is the biggest culprit, but indoors we also deal with ultrafine particles from activities such as cooking, toasting bread, frying, and burning candles.”
Tammaro collaborates closely with researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, where mice are exposed long-term to polluted air in a specialized chamber. “I have studied the effects of regular fine particles—the larger ones—on kidney function. Kidneys appeared to age faster. Moreover, researchers from Hasselt University in Belgium, with whom I also collaborate, found ultrafine particles in fetal organs. Apparently, ultrafine particles can pass through the placenta after inhalation. All of this inspired me to set up my new project.”
For this project, Tammaro will study mice exposed to ultrafine particles as fetuses and during the first 20 days after birth. “I am investigating how this exposure leads to kidney cell damage. I have already demonstrated that ultrafine particles cause fetal kidney damage. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, which allows for the study of individual cells, I will examine the molecular changes in kidney cells. This will help to assess the risk of air pollution on the kidneys of the unborn child and understand the mechanism behind it. I hope that policymakers will use this information to establish limits on ultrafine particles to protect pregnant women and their unborn children.”
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