The effect of acute exposure to coarse particulate matter air pollution in a rural location on circulating endothelial progenitor cells: results from a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Brief inhalation of coarse PM from a rural location elicited an increase in EPCs that persisted for at least 20 h. The underlying mechanism responsible may reflect a systemic reaction to an acute "endothelial injury" and/or a circulating EPC response to sympathetic nervous system activation.