Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Environmental Health Perspectives logoLink to Environmental Health Perspectives
. 1985 May;60:387–393. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8560387

Effects of asbestos on the random migration of rabbit alveolar macrophages.

Q N Myrvik, E A Knox, M Gordon, P S Shirley
PMCID: PMC1568586  PMID: 2863136

Abstract

The toxicity of sized and characterized chrysotile, crocidolite, and amosite preparations obtained from Dr. K. R. Spurny have been evaluated using alveolar macrophage (AM) migration inhibition assays and viability tests. These results have been compared with asbestos samples obtained from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). These latter samples are designated chrysotile A (RT), crocidolite (RT), and amosite (RT). In addition, filter-isolated preparations of chrysotile A (RT) that consisted mainly of large nonphagocytosable fibers were also tested. Chrysotile (Spurny) and sonicated chrysotile A (RT) produced 50% migration inhibition at about 115 micrograms/mL. Spurny crocidolite produced 50% migration inhibition at about 340 micrograms/mL, whereas RT crocidolite produced 50% migration inhibition at about 230 micrograms/mL. RT amosite caused 50% migration inhibition at about 180 micrograms/mL, whereas Spurny amosite was inactive up to 500 micrograms/mL. The large nonphagocytosable chrysotile A (RT) fibers produced 50% migration inhibition at about 66 micrograms/mL. This indicates that fibers can be toxic for AM through extracellular membrane contact. In general the results from the viability studies paralleled the migration inhibition observations. None of the asbestos preparations induced a burst in the hexose monophosphate shunt of BCG-immune AM at 1 mg/mL. BCG-immune AM were more susceptible to cell death than normal AM when incubated with chrysotile A (RT), amosite (RT) and zymosan. Migration inhibition induced by asbestos fibers probably reflects toxicity of the asbestos preparations and could play an important role in blocking normal alveolar clearance of inhaled particles.

Full text

PDF
387

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allison A. C. Effects of silica and asbestos on cells in culture. Inhaled Part. 1970;1:437–445. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allison A. C. Lysosomes and the toxicity of particulate pollutants. Arch Intern Med. 1971 Jul;128(1):131–139. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bey E., Harington J. S. Cytotoxic effects of some mineral dusts on Syrian hamster peritoneal macrophages. J Exp Med. 1971 May 1;133(5):1149–1169. doi: 10.1084/jem.133.5.1149. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davies R., Griffiths D. M., Preece A. W. Factors involved in the cytotoxicity of UICC amosite towards macrophages. Environ Health Perspect. 1983 Sep;51:245–248. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8351245. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dechatelet L. R., Cooper M. R., McCall C. E. Dissociation by colchicine of the hexose monophosphate shunt activation from the bactericidal activity of the leukocyte. Infect Immun. 1971 Jan;3(1):66–72. doi: 10.1128/iai.3.1.66-72.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kang K. Y., Bice D., D'Amato R., Ziskind M., Salvaggio J. Effects of asbestos and beryllium on release of alveolar macrophage enzymes. Arch Environ Health. 1979 May-Jun;34(3):133–140. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1979.10667384. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kaw J. L., Zaidi S. H. In vitro studies on the cytotoxic action of different varieties of asbestos dust on macrophages. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol (Copenh) 1975 Mar;36(3):225–235. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0773.1975.tb00790.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Klosterkötter W., Robock K. 1975 Yant Memorial Lecture New aspects on dust and pneumoconiosis research. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1975 Sep;36(9):659–668. doi: 10.1080/0002889758507312. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. MYRVIK Q., LEAKE E. S., FARISS B. Studies on pulmonary alveolar macrophages from the normal rabbit: a technique to procure them in a high state of purity. J Immunol. 1961 Feb;86:128–132. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. McGee M. P., Myrvik Q. N. Phagocytosis-induced injury of normal and activated alveolar macrophages. Infect Immun. 1979 Dec;26(3):910–915. doi: 10.1128/iai.26.3.910-915.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Miller K., Harington J. S. Some biochemical effects of asbestos on macrophages. Br J Exp Pathol. 1972 Aug;53(4):397–405. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Miller K. The effects of asbestos on macrophages. CRC Crit Rev Toxicol. 1978 Sep;5(4):319–354. doi: 10.3109/10408447809081010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Montarroso A. M., Myrvik Q. N. Oxidative metabolism of BCG-activated alveolar macrophages. J Reticuloendothel Soc. 1979 Jun;25(6):559–574. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Saint-Remy J. M., Cole P. Interactions of chrysotile asbestos fibres with the complement system. Immunology. 1980 Oct;41(2):431–437. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Schorlemmer H. U., Allison A. C. Effects of activated complement components on enzyme secretion by macrophages. Immunology. 1976 Nov;31(5):781–788. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sirois P., Rola-Pleszczynski M., Bégin R. Phospholipase A activity and prostaglandin release from alveolar macrophages exposed to asbestos. Prostaglandins Med. 1980 Jul;5(1):31–37. doi: 10.1016/0161-4630(80)90088-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Spurny K. R. Measurement and analysis of chemically changed mineral fibers after experiments in vitro and in vivo. Environ Health Perspect. 1983 Sep;51:343–355. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8351343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wilson M. R., Gaumer H. R., Salvaggio J. E. Activation of the alternative complement pathway and generation of chemotactic factors by asbestos. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1977 Oct;60(4):218–222. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(77)90133-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wright A., Donaldson K., Davis J. M. Cytotoxic effect of asbestos on macrophages in different activation states. Environ Health Perspect. 1983 Sep;51:147–152. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8351147. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Environmental Health Perspectives are provided here courtesy of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

RESOURCES