Exposure to nanoparticles derived from diesel particulate filter equipped engine increases vulnerability to arrhythmia in rat hearts

Air pollution is well recognized as a central player in cardiovascular disease. Exhaust particulate from diesel engines (DEP) is rich in nanoparticles and may contribute to the health effects of particulate matter in the environment. Moreover, diesel soot emitted by modern engines denotes defective surfaces alongside chemically-reactive sites increasing soot cytotoxicity. We recently demonstrated that engineered nanoparticles can cross the air/blood barrier and are capable to reach the heart. We hypothesize that DEP nanoparticles are pro-arrhythmogenic by direct interaction with cardiac cells. We evaluated the internalization kinetics and the effects of DEP, collected from Euro III (DEPe3, in the absence of Diesel Particulate Filter, DPF) and Euro IV (DEPe4, in the presence of DPF) engines, on alveolar and cardiac cell lines and on in situ rat hearts following DEP tracheal instillation. We observed significant differences in DEP size, metal and organic compositions derived from both engines. DEPe4 comprised ultrafine particles (