Oxygen radicals and asbestos-mediated disease.
Asbestos fibers are potent elaborators of active oxygen species whether by reactions involving iron on the surface of the fiber, or by attempted phagocytosis of fibers by cell types resident in the lung. The link between production of active oxygen species and the pathogenesis of asbestos-mediated disease has been highlighted by studies outlined here exploring the use of antioxidant scavengers which inhibit the cytotoxic effects of asbestos both in vitro and in vivo. The use of antioxidant enzymes ameliorates the induction of certain genes necessary for cell proliferation, such as ornithine decarboxylase, implicating oxidants as causative factors in some abnormal cell replicative events. Based on these observations, antioxidant enzymes likely represent an important lung defense mechanism in response to oxidative stress. In addition, their gene expression in lung or in cells from bronchoalveolar lavage might be a valuable biomarker of chronic inflammation and pulmonary disease after inhalation of oxidants.
Quinlan
T R
TR
Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington 05405.
Marsh
J P
JP
Janssen
Y M
YM
Borm
P A
PA
Mossman
B T
BT
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D001194:Asbestos / Q000494:pharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001194:Asbestos; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D010088:Oxidoreductases