title: Crystalline silica incubated in ascorbic acid acquires a higher cytotoxic potential.
abstract: Quartz incubated in an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid is partially dissolved and the potential to generate hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide is enhanced. In order to investigate whether the surface activation triggered by the treatment with ascorbic acid would also involve an enhancement in cell toxicity, a murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) was exposed to untreated and ascorbic acid-treated quartz. Ascorbic acid pretreated quartz was more toxic than untreated quartz and all cells died within 24 hours after exposure. Tetrandrine (a Chinese drug employed to retard or reverse fibrotic lesions of silicosis in humans) partially reduced cell toxicity generated by ascorbic acid pretreated quartz.
authors.affiliation: CNR - Direzione Progetto Finalizzato Biotecnologie, Via Leon Battista Alberti, 4, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovine
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozzolini
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fenoglio
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scarfi
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghiazza
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Benatti
authors.forename: Bice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fubini
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D011791:Quartz / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D011791:Quartz; C009438:tetrandrine; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D001205:Ascorbic Acid