# The Study of Allergic Reactions in Mice Induced by Particulate Matter from Duck Houses

## TL;DR

This study shows that particulate matter from duck houses can cause allergic reactions and lung inflammation in mice, with fungi playing a key role.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that duck house PM induces allergic reactions and identifies fungal components as significant contributors.

## Key findings

- Mice exposed to duck house PM showed allergic symptoms and elevated IgE, histamines, and leukotrienes.
- High-concentration PM and fungal exposure caused more severe allergic reactions and lung inflammation.
- Metabolomics analysis revealed pyrimidine metabolism as a key pathway linked to PM-induced allergic responses.

## Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) in poultry houses is a potential health concern, yet its ability to induce allergic reactions remains uncertain. This study investigated whether PM collected from duck houses could trigger allergic responses in mice. Mice were exposed to ambient and high concentrations of duck house PM, as well as to the dominant fungi isolated from the same environment. The results showed that exposed mice developed allergic symptoms, including sneezing and coughing. Their serum contained elevated levels of allergy markers such as IgE, histamines, and leukotrienes, and their lung tissues showed microscopic lesions with inflammatory cell infiltration. Allergic reactions were more severe with high-concentration PM and fungal exposure. Furthermore, metabolomics analysis revealed distinct metabolic disturbances in the lungs of exposed mice. In conclusion, duck house PM can induce allergic reactions and pulmonary inflammation, with fungal components playing a significant role. These findings highlight potential health risks for individuals exposed to poultry farming environments and support the need for protective measures.

Although particulate matter (PM) is strongly associated with allergic reactions, the potential risk of the ability of PM derived from poultry houses to induce allergic reactions remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of duck housing PM on allergic reactions in mice. PM samples and fungi were collected from a duck farm. Ovalbumin (OVA) was used as a positive control, with ambient-level concentrations of PM, high-concentration PM (HPM), and fungal experimental groups. Aerosol exposure was performed on the mice. Serum IgE, allergic mediators (histamines and leukotrienes), cytokines, and pulmonary histopathology were analyzed. Furthermore, HPM-induced metabolic profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured. The results revealed that all the treatment groups of mice presented allergic symptoms, including sneezing and coughing; higher concentrations of IgE, His, and LTs in the serum; upregulation of allergic reaction-related cytokines, such as IL4, IL5, and IL33; and microscopic lesions of the lungs characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in all the treatment groups, indicating that PM and fungi can cause allergic reactions. Notably, allergic reactions were more pronounced in the HPM and fungal groups than in the PM group. In addition, metabolomics analyses revealed that HPM exposure caused metabolic disorders in mouse lungs. The key pathway with the highest correlation to metabolite differences was pyrimidine metabolism, which is associated with allergic reactions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that exposure to PM in duck houses can cause allergic reactions in mice and significant metabolomic changes in the lungs, especially HPM. Moreover, the contribution of fungal components in the PM cannot be ignored. These findings highlight the potential health risks associated with PM from the poultry industry.