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.
Keywords: Acute phase response; Benchmark dose modeling; Diesel versus biodiesel exhaust particles; Pro-inflammatory pathways; Pulmonary transcriptomics; Renewable diesel exhaust particles.
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