Exposure to formaldehyde at low temperatures aggravates allergic asthma involved in transient receptor potential ion channel

Studies have indicated that formaldehyde and low temperature are considered to be the factors associated with several respiratory diseases. However, the effect of co-exposure to formaldehyde and low temperature on allergic asthma, and the potential mechanisms, are unknown. In this study, an allergic asthma mouse model was built and mice were exposed to 0.8 mg/m3 formaldehyde and/or subjected to low temperatures of 16 °C. The data showed that exposure to either low temperature or formaldehyde did not induce a significant aggravation on allergic asthma. However, simultaneous exposure to formaldehyde and low temperature was shown to aggravate mucus hypersecretion and inflammation in the lung, lead to an exacerbation of allergic asthma. After blocking the TRPM8 and TRPA1 ion channels, the levels of inflammatory factors reduced. These results demonstrated that co-exposure to formaldehyde and low temperature exacerbate allergic asthma, and that TRPM8 and TRPA1 are involved in this process.