Traffic-related　particulate　matter　(PM)　is　associated　with　adverse　health　effects.　Quinones　present　in　the　traffic-related　PM　are　hypothesized　to　contribute　to　these　harmful　effects　through　reactive　oxygen　species　(ROS)　generation.　However,　the　impacts　of　the　traffic-related　PM　and　quinones　on　inflammatory　processes　and　genotoxic　damages　are　less　well　known.　In　present　study　we　aimed　to　examine　the　genotoxic　and　inflammatory　impacts　of　organic　extracts　from　traffic-related　PM　(oTRP)　in　human　lung　epithelial　A549　cells,　and　reveal　the　contributions　from　quinones.　Significant　cytotoxicity　and　DNA　damage　were　caused　by　oTRP.　The　pro-inflammatory　genes,　interleukin-6　(Il-6),　interleukin-8　(Il-8)　and　tumor　necrosis　factor　(Tnf),　and　two　aromatic　hydrocarbon　receptor-regulated　genes,　Cyp1a1　and　1b1,　were　significantly　up-regulated　by　oTRP.　A　concomitant　increase　in　ROS　was　observed,　suggesting　that　oTRP　may　mediate　genotoxic　and　inflammatory　effects　through　oxidative　stress　pathway.　Second,　the　effects　from　two　typical　airborne　quinones,　9,10-anthraquinone　(AQ)　and　1,4-naphthroquinone　(NQ)　were　compared.　NQ　but　not　AQ　induced　significant　DNA　damage　in　A549　cells.　NQ　up-regulated　Il-8,　Tnf,　and　Mcp-1　genes,　while　AQ　induced　the　expression　of　Rantes　gene.　These　results　suggest　that　the　NQ　and　AQ　may　participate　in　the　pro-inflammatory　responses　through　releasing　different　types　of　cytokines/chemokines.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.