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Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. The disease most often affects the lung and leads to death in 5% of patients. Patients who die often succumb due to progressive fibrotic lung disease. Translational research in sarcoidosis is significantly limited by a paucity of available experimental models. Carbon nanotubes are released into the environment during fuel combustion, manufacturing, and natural fires. Exposed individuals are at risk for cancer, lung inflammation and other chronic pulmonary disorders, including diseases resembling sarcoidosis and pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we developed and characterized an in vitro experimental model relevant to sarcoidosis using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNT-exposed PBMCs were cultured and analyzed by …