STUDIES ON THE EFFECTS OF DIESEL EXHAUST PARTICLES ON HUMAN HEALTH

柴油车排放的颗粒物（DEP）是汽油车的30 ~ 100倍。DEP是最重要的空气污染物质之一，尤其是在大城市。此前，作者在体外实验中发现DEP可与氧反应产生超氧阴离子自由基，并且DEP缓冲提取物可抑制过氧化氢酶的活性，即DEP可通过产生活性氧中间体（ROI）并抑制ROI的降解而引起呼吸器官疾病。为了了解DEP对人体健康的多种生物学效应的机制，需要寻找系统分离DEP中化合物的方法，本项目建立了DEP中化合物的系统分离方法，并评价了DEP对补体活性的影响。此外，我们旨在评估DEP对内分泌系统的影响。1)用己烷、苯、二氯甲烷、甲醇、1M氨水对DEP进行连续提取。该方法可提取DEP中约80%的物质。采用硅胶柱层析法，对DEP中的化合物进行了进一步的化学性质分离。2)评价DEP提取物洗脱液的雌激素和抗雌激素活性。在这些提取物中没有发现雌激素活性。相反，苯、二氯甲烷和甲醇提取物具有抗雌激素活性，而己烷和氨提取物则没有。结果表明，DEP提取物中的异源化合物具有抑制雌激素活性的作用。3) DEP缓冲提取物可激活人体补体系统的替代通路。研究发现，DEP含有多种生理活性成分，对人体健康的影响机制不同。

Diesel cars exhaust 30-100 times more particles(DEP) than gasoline engine cars. DEP is one of the most important air pollution substances, especially, in the big city. Previously, the authors found that DEP could react with oxygen to produce superoxide anion radical in vitro, and that buffer extract of DEP could inhibit the activity of catalase, namely, DEP could cause disease of respiratory organ by production of reactive oxygen intermediates(ROI) and inhibition of degradation of ROI.To know the mechanism of many biological effects of DEP on human health, it is required to find the methods for systematic isolation of compounds in DEP.In this project, we establish the methods for systematic isolation of compounds in DEP, and the effects of DEP on the complement activity was evaluated. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the effect of DEP on the endocrine system.1) DEP were extracted serially, with hexane, benzene, dichloromethane, methanol and 1M ammonia. About 80% of substances in DEP were extracted in this methods. With followed column chromatography by sillica gel, compounds in DEP were further isolated with the chemical properties. 2) Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities of eluates of DEP extract were evaluated. Estrogenic activity was not found in these extracts. On the contrary, anti-estrogenic activity was found in extracts of benzen, dichloromethane, and methanol, but not in that of hexane and ammonia. It was found that heterologous compounds in DEP extracts possess the ability to inhibit the activity of estrogen. 3) Buffer extract of DEP could activate the alternative pathway of human complement system. It was found that DEP contain many kinds of physiologically active compounds and could affect on human health with different mechanisms.