Inhalation of vanadium pentoxide and its toxic effects in a mouse model

•Vanadium pentoxide is found in particulate matter in the atmosphere.•Incomplete combustion petroleum is the main source of particles with vanadium.•Vanadium damage is different in each organ or tissue.•Cyto and nucleoskeleton are targets for vanadium effects.•Oxidative stress is a common mechanism of tissue damage by inhaled vanadium.

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is one of the compounds bound to the suspended material found in the atmosphere and classified as particulate matter. The main source of these pollutants is the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Some of these fuels are rich in vanadium, such as Mexican, Venezuelian and Kuwaity petroleum, and after the incomplete combustion, carbon-core particles are liberated to the atmosphere, with V2O5 adsorbed to its surface. These particles, about 2.5 μm in diameter, are inhaled reaching the alveoli, the pulmonary capillaries, arriving to the systemic circulation and to every system and organ producing different effects. Here we report our findings on a mouse model with V2O5 inhalation. It is important to notice that the toxic effects differ drastically between systems and organs. Some of our findings support the presence of increased vascular events in urban areas with high particulate pollution.

Graphical abstractInhalation of incomplete combustion of gasoline particulate matter with V2O5 enters the pulmonary circulation and reaches systemic circulation and a variety of organs and tissues (i.e., liver, pancreas, thymus, nervous and reproductive system) to produce damage.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide