title: Cytotoxic effects of quartz and chrysotile asbestos: in vitro interspecies comparison with alveolar macrophages.
abstract: Cytotoxic effects of DQ12 quartz and chrysotile asbestos on alveolar macrophages of different animal species were compared in vitro. The type of cell reaction toward the cytotoxic dusts was always the same: a loss of cell viability (trypan blue dye exclusion test) was accompanied by the release of cytoplasmic and lysosomal enzymes. The extent of cellular destruction depended upon the amount of dust applied. In the range of 50-100 micrograms/ml quartz or chrysotile asbestos, species-specific variations were observed in the sensitivity of the cells. At this concentration alveolar macrophages of dogs, monkeys, and human patients were damaged to a greater extent than the cells from rats and cattle. Simultaneous incubation of the cells with quartz and L-alpha-dipalmitoyl lecithin resulted in a reduction of the cytotoxic quartz effect. The extent of the protective effect varied according to the species. In the case of chrysotile asbestos no reduction of the fibers cytotoxicity was observed in the presence of L-alpha-dipalmitoyl lecithin.
authors.affiliation: Hauptabteilung Sicherheit/Biophysik, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schimmelpfeng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidel
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D011791:Quartz / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D001194:Asbestos; D011791:Quartz; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase