Mechanisms of bioreactivity of engineered nanoparticles with pulmonary gas exchange barrier

纳米技术是一个迅速崛起的科学领域，涉及合成小于一根头发宽度(即小于100纳米大小)的工程纳米颗粒。纳米颗粒被加工成更大的产品，这些产品是无害的；它们被用于工程、医药、化妆品和许多其他日常产品。纳米颗粒具有独特的特性，这使得它们在生产新产品时非常有吸引力和有用；然而，不幸的是，使它们独特的特性可能会对健康产生影响。我们对接触这些材料的危险或风险知之甚少，因为它们是如此之新。由于纳米技术发展如此之快，重要的是要确定纳米颗粒是否可能有毒，或者是否会对健康或环境产生有害影响。如果我们知道这一点，我们就可以保护人们和环境免受暴露。我们知道，当易受影响的人暴露在含有纳米颗粒的高水平空气污染中时，他们可能会出现心肺问题，不得不去医院，甚至可能死亡。这表明，吸入非常小的纳米级工程颗粒可能会导致心脏和肺脏问题，尽管它们与空气污染颗粒具有非常不同的特性。其目的是发现吸入的工程纳米颗粒是否有害，以及如果它们到达肺部微妙的气囊是否会导致呼吸或心脏问题。我们将使用排列在人类肺部和肺血管中的细胞。这些细胞将暴露在纳米颗粒中，以发现它们是否有毒，如果是，毒性如何，为什么？暴露的细胞是否会释放可能引起炎症或血液凝结的分子？我们想知道粒子的什么性质使它们具有危险--它们是尖锐的，还是进入细胞，或者在细胞之间，或者是任何特定的表面化学物质对纳米粒子的毒性负责？我们将在独特的显微镜下观察纳米颗粒，看看它们是如何改变细胞行为的。我们希望了解吸入的转基因纳米颗粒是否可能有害。如果它们是有害的，有可能制造出无害的颗粒吗？这些信息将使我们能够提供关于吸入工程纳米颗粒的可能风险的指导方针，以及防止接触，特别是在可能水平较高的工作场所。

Nanotechnology is a rapidly emerging area of science involving synthesis of engineered nanoparticles that are less that the width of a hair (ie less than 100 nanometres in size). Nanoparticles are processed to form larger products which are not harmful; they are used in engineering, medicine, cosmetics and many other day-to-day products. Nanoparticles have unique properties which make them very attractive and useful in producing new products; however, the properties that make them unique may unfortunately have health effects. We know very little about the hazards or risks associated with exposure to these materials because they are so new. As nanotechnology is moving so fast it is important to establish whether nanoparticles are likely to be toxic or to have unwanted health or environmental effects. If we know this we can protect people and the environment from exposure. We know that when susceptible individuals are exposed to high levels of air pollution which contains nano-sized particles they may develop heart and lung problems and have to go to hospital and might even die. This suggests that inhalation of very small, nanosized engineered particles might cause heart and lung problems, although they have very different properties to air pollution particles. The aim is to discover whether inhaled engineered nanoparticles are harmful and whether they cause breathing or heart problems if they reach the delicate air sacs of the lung. We will use cells that line human lungs and the blood vessels of the lung. These cells will be exposed to the nanoparticles to discover whether the they are toxic and if so, how toxic and why? Do the exposed cells release molecules that might cause inflammation or blood clotting? We want to know what properties of the particles make them dangerous - are they sharp, or do they pass into the cells, or between the cells or are any particular surface chemicals responsible for nanoparticle toxicity? We will watch nanoparticles under a unique microscope to see how they alter cell behaviour. We hope to learn whether inhaled, engineered nanoparticles are likely to be harmful. If they are, is it possible to make particles that are not harmful? This information will allow us to provide guidelines on the possible risks of inhaling engineered nanoparticles, as well as preventing exposure, particularly at work, where levels may be high.