title: In vitro correlates of mineral dust toxicity.
abstract: In vitro studies of mineral fibres have shown that these materials are capable of causing the production of free radical damage (measured by the accumulation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material) in a way that does not depend on fibre morphology but rather on a surface property, probably the presence of iron. The DNA-damaging activities of the same dusts were measured in an assay based on the production of single-stranded DNA. Activity in this assay was again not dependent on the presence of fibres. In contrast the cytotoxicity of mineral fibres towards V79-4 cells correlated better with in vivo tumorigenicity than did either of the above activities. The activity of fibres against a macrophage-like cell demonstrated that both fibre morphology and chemical properties are important determinants of biological activity.
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008903:Minerals / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D008903:Minerals; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D001194:Asbestos; D008315:Malondialdehyde