INS and Insulin resistance: In C57BL/6 mice exposed to concentrated PM2.5 inhalation for 9 or 30 consecutive days (6 h/day), PM2.5 impaired endothelial progenitor cellular differentiation and mobilization through vascular insulin resistance and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and inflammasome activation, while insulin sensitizers prevented PM2.5-triggered vascular insulin resistance and inflammation and decreased circulating EPCs [154].