The effects of inhaled wood dust
The goal of the WOOD-RISK project was to provide the latest information on the health dangers of occupational exposure to wood. Researchers studied the link between exposure and molecular changes in cancers of the nose and sinuses, and inflammation of the lungs. A number of epidemiological studies have shown that workers exposed to wood dust can suffer from asthma and impaired function of the lungs. However, the mechanisms underling these effects were not fully understood. It was believed that macrophage and type II lung epithelial cells were involved in initiating and controlling the inflammatory reaction of the lungs. This was achieved through the secretion of cytokines, which are small proteins that regulate the cells of the immune system. WOOD-RISK performed experiments on primary alveolar macrophages and lung epithelial cells from laboratory rats. These showed that dust from a variety of hardwoods and softwoods, as well as medium-density fibreboard (MDF), caused a reaction in primary alveolar macrophages. Macrophages exposed to wood dust produced mediators that led to inflammation. This in turn stimulated the release of cytokines from the cells of the lung lining, creating an increased response.
