title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as hazard marker for lung injury induced by dusts.
abstract: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has a function as a growth factor of epithelial cells, is thought to play a role in pulmonary epithelium repair. In order to establish whether or not CGRP is associated with repair in lung damaged by dust, we examined gene expression of CGRP in the lungs of animal models exposed to different dusts. Male Wistar rats were administered 2 mg of crystalline silica, crocidolite, potassium octatitanate whisker (PT-1), and silicon carbide whisker (SiCW) 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. Pathological findings of advanced pulmonary fibrosis were present in the rats exposed to crystalline silica and crocidolite through the experiment, whereas findings of mild or reversible pulmonary fibrosis were present in those exposed to SiCW and PT-1. The expression of CGRP in rat lung was observed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme immunometric assay (EIA). In RT-PCR, CGRP gene expression was decreased at the interval of 3 d and 1 wk in the case of crystalline silica and crocidolite; on the other hand, it was increased at 3 d and 1 wk in SiCW and at 3 d, 1 wk, and 3 mo in PT-1-exposed rats. CGRP protein level in lungs exposed to PT-1 and SiCW was also higher than that to silica and crocidolite at 3 d of recovery time. These data suggest that CGRP is associated with repair in lung damaged by different dusts, and that CGRP could be used as a sensitive biomarker to indicate the pathogenicity of dusts.
authors: Department of Occupational Pneumology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yahatanishi, Kitayushu, Japan. yasuom@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Morimoto
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Ogami
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Nagatomo
authors: Masami
authors: M
authors: Hirohashi
authors: Takako
authors: T
authors: Oyabu
authors: Kaori
authors: K
authors: Kuroda
authors: Yukiko
authors: Y
authors: Kawanami
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Murakami
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Myojo
authors: Toshiaki
authors: T
authors: Higashi
authors: Isamu
authors: I
authors: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite / Q000633:toxicity; D015415:Biomarkers; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / Q000633:toxicity; D004391:Dust; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity; D014025:Titanium / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D004391:Dust; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; C021028:potassium octatitanate; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; C022088:silicon carbide