BOARD MEETING DATE: February 3, 2006
AGENDA NO. 15
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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