From a dirty breath to atherosclerosis: Ozone pollution and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)

The timely study in the paper published by Hongbing Xu et al. in this issue of Atherosclerosis [1] underscores the intricate relationship between environmental pollutants and our well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide as critical pollutants that should be monitored in the assessment of air quality [2]. With an estimated million of deaths per year attributable to air pollution and as the leading environmental risk factor of mortality globally, elucidating the mechanistic pathways of pollution-mediated diseases is critical [2].