air pollution and effects on asthma

exposure to air pollution can result in increased asthma. Exposure to high levels of diesel fuel can cause people walking in those areas to have higher levels of asthma. The changes include increase in inflamatory mediators. one proposed mechanism is epigenetic changes caused by DNA methalation. They showed that black carbon as opposed to small particulate exhaust matter and or sulfates was significantly correlated with decreased lung function. Black carbon might be a proxy for exposure to benzene in the ambient air coming from traffic pollution. This phenomenon appears to lead to increase homosystiene in the blood. Ingestion of Folate may lead to reversing this phenomena.