title: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and immunoglobulins synergistically enhance mineral dust-induced production of reactive oxygen metabolites by human monocytes.
abstract: The modulating effect of BCG and polyclonal immunoglobulin on mineral dust-induced production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) by human monocytes was studied using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. BCG and immunoglobulin synergistically amplified the ROM production induced by chrysotile asbestos and quartz particles, and BCG caused a sharper dose response for poly-immunoglobulin added to the mineral dusts. Immunoglobulins did not affect zymosan yeast-induced ROM production, which was enhanced strongly by BCG. As there is evidence that phagocyte-derived ROM are of importance in mineral dust-induced lung injury, we suggest that the observed synergism between host response inflammatory mediators (poly-immunoglobulin) and exogenic irritants (BCG) may contribute to the outcome of exposure of mineral dusts, and thus in part explain the individual variations in susceptibility to mineral dust-induced diseases.
authors.affiliation: Mjölbolsta Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klockars
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000502:physiology*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000502:physiology*; D011791:Quartz / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology; D015054:Zymosan / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001194:Asbestos; D011791:Quartz; D015054:Zymosan