Expression of heme oxygenase-1 in the lungs of rats exposed to crocidolite asbestos.
Oxidative stress is thought to be the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis induced by asbestos, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protects lung tissue against oxidative stress. We hypothesized that HO-1 is associated with oxidative lung injury caused by exposure to asbestos. This study was conducted to investigate the time course of HO-1 expression of lungs exposed to crocidolite asbestos in vivo. Male Wistar rats were administered 1 mg or 2 mg crocidolite asbestos suspended in saline by a single intratracheal instillation and were sacrificed at 3 d, 1 wk, 1 mo, 3 mo, and 6 mo of recovery time. The expression of HO-1 was observed by Western blot analysis and immunostaining. Protein levels of HO-1 increased at from 3 d to 6 mo following intratracheal instillation of 2 mg crocidolite asbestos. The levels of HO-1 increased at 1 wk and 1 mo following intratracheal instillation of 1 mg crocidolite asbestos. Many HO-1-positive cells were found, particularly in the alveolar macrophages, during immunostaining. These findings suggest that HO-1 may be related to lung disorder induced by dust and therefore can act as a biomarker of lung injury due to dust exposure.
Nagatomo
Hiroko
H
Institute of Industrial and Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan. nhiroko@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Morimoto
Yasuo
Y
Oyabu
Takako
T
Hirohashi
Masami
M
Ogami
Akira
A
Yamato
Hiroshi
H
Kuroda
Kaori
K
Higashi
Toshiaki
T
Tanaka
Isamu
I
D000818:Animals; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1