title: Activation of lymphocytes in the pulmonary inflammatory response to silica.
abstract: Lymphocytes were separated from the parenchymal lung tissue of mice administered either silica or titanium dioxide particles by intratracheal injection. There was an approximately 10-fold increase in the number of T-lymphocytes recovered from silica-treated animals at 2 weeks after injection. This was accompanied by an increase in the percentage of separated cells expressing the interleukin-2 receptor and by enhanced spontaneous DNA synthesis in serum-free culture. No such changes were demonstrable in cells obtained from animals administered titanium dioxide. These results confirm that an influx of T-lymphocytes occurs as part of the early pulmonary inflammatory response to silica particles. Furthermore, lymphocytes in the lung are functionally activated by at least two criteria. Activated T-lymphocytes may play a role in the induction of fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis that occurs in silicotic lung disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Pathology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Grady
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014025:Titanium / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008222:Lymphokines; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C009495:titanium dioxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D003094:Collagen; D004247:DNA; D014025:Titanium