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Similar global transcription patterns in mouse lung tissue following pulmonary exposure to renewable and conventional diesel engine exhaust particles

Gliga, Anda R. LU ; McCarrick, Sarah ; Malmborg, Vilhelm LU orcid ; Kohonen, Pekka ; Snigireva, Anastasiia ; Mills, Brandon ; Danielsen, Pernille Høgh ; Palmberg, Lena ; Broberg, Karin LU orcid and Pagels, Joakim LU , et al. (2026) In Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 122.
Abstract

Renewable diesel fuels may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter compared to fossil diesel, but the toxicity of their combustion products remains unclear. This study assessed pulmonary effects of renewable diesel exhaust particles in female C57BL/6NTac mice after single intratracheal instillation (6, 18, or 54 µg/mouse). Particles were generated from renewable fuels (rapeseed methyl ester, RME; hydrogen-treated vegetable oil, HVO) and petroleum diesel (DEP) using a modern heavy-duty diesel engine. Lung tissue was analysed via RNA sequencing one day post-exposure to identify differentially expressed genes, followed by pathway analysis and benchmark dose (BMD) modelling. Enriched pathways revealed similar toxicological... (More)

Renewable diesel fuels may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter compared to fossil diesel, but the toxicity of their combustion products remains unclear. This study assessed pulmonary effects of renewable diesel exhaust particles in female C57BL/6NTac mice after single intratracheal instillation (6, 18, or 54 µg/mouse). Particles were generated from renewable fuels (rapeseed methyl ester, RME; hydrogen-treated vegetable oil, HVO) and petroleum diesel (DEP) using a modern heavy-duty diesel engine. Lung tissue was analysed via RNA sequencing one day post-exposure to identify differentially expressed genes, followed by pathway analysis and benchmark dose (BMD) modelling. Enriched pathways revealed similar toxicological profiles across fuels, involving immune response, extracellular matrix, and cardiovascular signalling. Pathway activation scores and BMDs indicated that HVO and DEP have similar pro-inflammatory potencies whereas RME was less potent. In conclusion, the similarity of the toxicological responses for renewable and traditional diesel exhaust particles raises health concerns for renewable diesels.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Acute phase response, Benchmark dose modeling, Diesel versus biodiesel exhaust particles, Pro-inflammatory pathways, Pulmonary transcriptomics, Renewable diesel exhaust particles
in
Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
volume
122
article number
104918
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:41456772
  • scopus:105027237454
ISSN
1382-6689
DOI
10.1016/j.etap.2025.104918
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026
id
114b3c13-e8e3-4abb-9c3d-eb0b261c259b
date added to LUP
2026-03-23 15:20:50
date last changed
2026-05-18 21:02:11
@article{114b3c13-e8e3-4abb-9c3d-eb0b261c259b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Renewable diesel fuels may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter compared to fossil diesel, but the toxicity of their combustion products remains unclear. This study assessed pulmonary effects of renewable diesel exhaust particles in female C57BL/6NTac mice after single intratracheal instillation (6, 18, or 54 µg/mouse). Particles were generated from renewable fuels (rapeseed methyl ester, RME; hydrogen-treated vegetable oil, HVO) and petroleum diesel (DEP) using a modern heavy-duty diesel engine. Lung tissue was analysed via RNA sequencing one day post-exposure to identify differentially expressed genes, followed by pathway analysis and benchmark dose (BMD) modelling. Enriched pathways revealed similar toxicological profiles across fuels, involving immune response, extracellular matrix, and cardiovascular signalling. Pathway activation scores and BMDs indicated that HVO and DEP have similar pro-inflammatory potencies whereas RME was less potent. In conclusion, the similarity of the toxicological responses for renewable and traditional diesel exhaust particles raises health concerns for renewable diesels.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gliga, Anda R. and McCarrick, Sarah and Malmborg, Vilhelm and Kohonen, Pekka and Snigireva, Anastasiia and Mills, Brandon and Danielsen, Pernille Høgh and Palmberg, Lena and Broberg, Karin and Pagels, Joakim and Vogel, Ulla}},
  issn         = {{1382-6689}},
  keywords     = {{Acute phase response; Benchmark dose modeling; Diesel versus biodiesel exhaust particles; Pro-inflammatory pathways; Pulmonary transcriptomics; Renewable diesel exhaust particles}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology}},
  title        = {{Similar global transcription patterns in mouse lung tissue following pulmonary exposure to renewable and conventional diesel engine exhaust particles}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2025.104918}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.etap.2025.104918}},
  volume       = {{122}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}