Particulate depleted uranium is cytotoxic and clastogenic to human lung epithelial cells.
Depleted uranium (DU) is commonly used in military applications and consequently exposure to soldiers and non-combatants is potentially frequent and widespread. DU is suspected to be a carcinogen, potentially affecting the bronchial cells of the lung. Few studies have considered DU in human bronchial cells. Accordingly, we determined the cytotoxicity and clastogenicity of particulate DU in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEP2D cells). DU-induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in human bronchial epithelial cells, and was not clastogenic after 24h but induced chromosomal aberrations after 48h. These data indicate that if DU is a human bronchial carcinogen, it is likely acting through a mechanism that involves DNA breaks after longer exposures.
LaCerte
Carolyne
C
Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St., PO Box 9300, Portland.
Xie
Hong
H
Aboueissa
AbouEl-Makarim
AM
Wise
John Pierce
JP
D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014501:Uranium / Q000633:toxicity*; D017974:Uranium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D017974:Uranium Compounds; D014501:Uranium; C047385:uranium oxide