title: The use of enzyme histochemistry in detecting cutaneous toxicity of three topically applied jet fuel mdttures.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess cutaneous enzyme activity in response to topical exposure to jet fuel, using enzyme histochemistry to analyze alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), and nonspecific esterase (NSE) in the skin of pigs. Yorkshire pigs were exposed to Jet-A, JP-8, and JP-8(100) fuels for 5 h, 24 h, and 5 days under occluded Hill Top chambers (25 muL), nonoccluded conditions (25 muL), and occluded fabric conditions (335 muL). For ALP, the fabric Jet-A, JP-8, and JP-8(100) were significantly more intense (p < .05) than control sites in the stratum basale layer. ACP staining showed a general increase between 24 h and 5 days in most layers in the Hill Top chamber experiment, but no treatment effects. The sites of nonoccluded fabric involving JP-8 and JP-8(100) demonstrated significantly more staining (p < .05) of NSE than at control sites at 24 h in both the stratum spinosum and stratum basale layers. In addition, NSE staining at 5 days at the site where the fabric was dosed with JP-8 and JP-8(100) was significantly greater (p < .05) than in the occluded-fabric control site in the stratum granulosum layer. The increased distribution and significant difference in staining by these enzymes in jet fuel-treated skin across many layers (particularly ALP) strongly supports the conclusion that enzyme histochemistry can be used effectively as an early biomarker of cellular injury.
authors.affiliation: Center for Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North CarolinaUSA.
authors.forename: Beth N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Rhyne
authors.forename: Jason R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pirone
authors.forename: Jim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Riviere
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Monteiro-Riviere