Asbestos exposure results in increased lung procoagulant activity in vivo and in vitro.
Enhanced fibrin deposition is a common histologic finding in fibrotic lung disorders including asbestosis and may be an important mechanism by which fibroblast proliferation is modulated. Asbestos-induced activation of lung interstitial cells may result in enhanced expression of procoagulant activity which contributes to the inflammatory response resulting in subsequent fibrin deposition. The current study examines procoagulant activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with clinically diagnosed asbestosis, patients with asbestos exposure without asbestosis, and normal, control subjects. Results indicated that asbestos exposure resulted in increased lung procoagulant expression in vivo, and furthermore, suggested that both endothelial cells and alveolar macrophages represented lung parenchymal cells which may contribute to this activity. This imbalance in coagulation homeostasis may be important in the regulation of fibrotic responses observed in asbestosis.
Callahan
K S
KS
Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Center, Tyler 75710.
Griffith
D E
DE
Garcia
J G
JG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000097:blood*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001194:Asbestos