Effects of chronic exposure to crack cocaine on the respiratory tract of mice.
Smoked cocaine (crack cocaine) causes several forms of injury to the respiratory tract, including asthma exacerbations, lung edema and hemorrhage, and nasal mucosal alterations. Few studies, however, have assessed respiratory tract pathology in habitual users of crack cocaine. Here, we describe the histological alterations in the respiratory tract of mice caused by chronic inhalation of crack cocaine. Twenty 2-month-old BALB/c mice were exposed to the smoke of 5 g crack cocaine in an inhalation chamber once a day for two months and compared to controls (n = 10). We then morphometrically analyzed nose and bronchiolar epithelial alterations, bronchiolar and alveolar macrophage cell density, alveolar hemosiderin content, and in addition determined the vasoconstriction index and the wall thickness of pulmonary arteries. The serum cocaine level was 212.5 ng/mL after a single inhalation. The mucus content of the nasal epithelium increased in crack-exposed animals, and the nasal and bronchial epithelium thickness decreased significantly. The alveolar hemosiderin content and the alveolar and bronchiolar macrophage cell density increased in animals exposed to crack. The vasoconstriction index increased in the pulmonary arteries of the exposed group. Chronic crack cocaine inhalation causes extensive histological changes along the entire respiratory tract.
Herculiani
Percyleine P
PP
Laboratory of Air Pollution (LIM 05), Department of Pathology, São Paulo University Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Pires-Neto
Ruy C
RC
Bueno
Heloisa M S
HM
Zorzetto
Júlio C
JC
Silva
Luiz C
LC
Santos
Angela B G
AB
Garcia
Raphael C T
RC
Yonamine
Mauricio
M
Detregiachi
Cláudia R P
CR
Saldiva
Paulo H N
PH
Mauad
Thais
T
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000423:Alcian Blue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D055745:Bronchioles / Q000187:drug effects*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009666:Nose / Q000187:drug effects*; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects*; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic
D004396:Coloring Agents; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D006485:Hemosiderin; D000423:Alcian Blue