title: Cytotoxicity of yellow sand in lung epithelial cells.
abstract: The present study was carried out to observe the cytotoxicity of yellow sand in comparison with silica and titanium dioxide in a rat alveolar type II cell line (RLE-6TN). Yellow sand (China Loess) was obtained from the loess layer in the Gunsu Province of China. The mean particle diameter of yellow sand was about 0.003 +/- 0.001 mm. Major elements of yellow sand were Si(27.7 +/- 0.6%), Al(6.01 +/- 0.17%), and Ca(5.83 +/- 0.23%) in that order. Silica and yellow sand significantly decreased cell viability and increased [Ca2+]i. All three particles increased the generation of H2O2. TiO2 did not change Fenton activity, while silica induced a slight increase of Fenton activity. In contrast, yellow sand induced a significant increase of Fenton activity. Silica, yellow sand and TiO2 induced significant nitrite formations in RLE-6TN cells. Silica showed the highest increase in nitrite formation, while yellow sand induced the least formation of nitrite. Silica and yellow sand increased the release of TNF-a. Based on these results, we suggest that yellow sand can induce cytotoxicity in RLE-6TN cells and reactive oxygen species, Fenton activity and reactive nitrogen species might be involved in this toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of New Drug Development, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D014025:Titanium / Q000009:adverse effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D009573:Nitrites; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C009495:titanium dioxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000535:Aluminum; D014025:Titanium; D002118:Calcium; D012825:Silicon