PROPOSAL:
Amend Contract to Conduct Additional Research Project under Asthma and
Outdoor Air Quality Consortium
SYNPOSIS:
The Board previously authorized a contract with UCLA to manage the
Asthma and Outdoor Air Quality Consortium, and approved the execution of
six research projects under the Consortium. This action is to request that
the agreement with UCLA be amended to approve the execution of an
additional research project for a sum not to exceed $80,678 from the
Asthma & Brain Cancer Research Fund – Asthma & Brain Cancer Research Fund.
COMMITTEE:
Technology, January 27, 2006. Less than a quorum was present during the
discussion of this item; the Chairman communicated his concurrence and
recommendation that this item be forwarded for Board consideration
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Authorize the Chairman to amend the agreement with UCLA to administer
the execution of the additional research project “Electrophilic Nature of
Diesel Exhaust Particles and its Role in Cellular Toxicity” under the
Asthma and Outdoor Air Quality Consortium for a sum not to exceed $80,678
from Fund 42.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
At the February 2003 meeting, the Board approved the establishment of the
Asthma and Outdoor Air Quality Consortium and directed 10 percent of FY
2002-03 penalty revenue—approximately $723,000—to fund such consortium for
research projects relating to asthma and outdoor air quality.
The Board approved a workplan for the Consortium and authorized a
contract with UCLA to manage the Consortium and administer the execution of
six research projects. The six research projects, which were originally
proposed were to be carried out over a period of 12 to 24 months, are
nearing completion.
The results of one of the projects, “Interaction of Reactive Organic
Compounds with the Capsaicin Receptor,” conducted by Dr. Arthur Cho of UCLA,
indicate a possible discovery of a mechanism whereby components of
particulate matter exert their toxic effects and have stimulated a proposal
to further investigate the interaction between particulate matter and
asthma. Preliminary results were presented at the Board retreat earlier this
year.
Proposal
Results of the current research projects under the Consortium have found
that 1,2 naphthoquinone, a chemical constituent of both ambient particulate
matter and of diesel exhaust particulate matter, can interact covalently
with cellular proteins and form chemical bonds with these proteins. This
chemical bonding was found to result in biochemical alterations leading to
contractions of smooth muscle in laboratory preparations. Smooth muscle
contraction in the airways is a hallmark of asthma episodes.
The Consortium proposes to extend and confirm these findings using
laboratory cell preparations, and to determine the role of chemicals found
in ambient and in diesel exhaust particulates in cellular toxicity and the
biochemical pathways related to asthma.
If the initial results are substantiated, this will provide the first
evidence that particulate matter-related chemicals can interact with
biological systems and produce irreversible biochemical changes. Because of
the covalent nature of the interaction, the effects may be cumulative over
the course of repeated exposures, and could have important implications
regarding exacerbation of asthma by particulate air pollutants.
The results of this research project will provide a major understanding
of the adverse effects of particulate matter, and can provide information on
which to estimate the benefits to public health for pollutant controls.
The research qualifies for a sole source award under Section VIII B.2.d
(8) of the AQMD Procurement Policy and Procedures: Research and development
efforts with education institutions or nonprofit organizations.
Resource Impacts
Funds for this project are available from the 10 percent of FY 2002-03
penalty fees directed by the Board to the Asthma & Brain Cancer Research
Fund for the Asthma and Outdoor Air Quality Consortium (Fund 42).
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