Human cd4+ cd45ra+ lymphocytes-T can be stimulated by crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite asbestos invitro

Our plain-English summary of Human cd4+ cd45ra+ lymphocytes-T can be stimulated by crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite asbestos invitro, by Y. Watanabe, M. Yamaguchi, Y. Kawakami, et al (International Journal of Oncology, 1993).

The study

• Authors: Y. Watanabe, M. Yamaguchi, Y. Kawakami, F. Hyodoh, H. Tsushima, G. Ohsawa, A. Ueki
• Journal: International Journal of Oncology
• Published: 1993;2(2):209-12
• Cited by: 5 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite asbestos stimulate T lymphocyte subsets. Cell surface CD4 or CD45RA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was downregulated temporarily after incubation with asbestos in vitro. The percentage of CD4+ CD45RA+ cells significantly decreased 12 h after incubation with asbestos, suggesting activation of the cells. An early increase in the intracellular Ca++ level was also indicative of activation. An elevated Ca++ level was observed after incubation in both PBMC and purified T cell fractions.

In plain English

This was a laboratory study by researchers at Kawasaki Medical School in Japan. The authors took white blood cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) from healthy volunteers and exposed them in culture to standard reference samples of crocidolite, amosite and anthophyllite asbestos at 50 micrograms per millilitre. With crocidolite or anthophyllite, the CD4 marker on the cell surface fell significantly during 6 to 12 hours and returned to its original level within 24 hours. With amosite the CD4 change was not so prominent. The share of cells carrying the CD45RA marker fell significantly within 12 hours with all three fibres. Cells carrying both CD4 and CD45RA decreased by about 17, 14 and 11% within 12 hours with crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite respectively, and a decline was still seen at 72 hours. Calcium inside the cells rose 1 to 30 minutes after fibres were added. This also happened, more weakly, in purified T cells. Cell viability stayed above 90%, and release of the enzyme LDH did not differ significantly from unexposed cells. The authors concluded that the results indicate activation of this T-cell subset by asbestos fibres. The cause of the calcium rise remained unknown.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: In vitro laboratory experiment on human blood cells exposed to asbestos fibres in culture
• Who was studied: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (and, in some experiments, purified T lymphocytes) from the blood of healthy volunteers; the study was carried out at Kawasaki Medical School, Japan. The number of volunteers is not stated; the Figure 1 legend gives n = 6.
• Exposure: UICC standard reference samples of crocidolite, amosite and anthophyllite asbestos. Concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 micrograms per millilitre were tested, and 50 micrograms per millilitre was used throughout the experiments.
• Main results:
  • With crocidolite or anthophyllite, surface CD4 antigen declined significantly during 6 to 12 hours of incubation, then returned to its original level within 24 hours.
  • With amosite, the change in CD4 was not so prominent 12 hours after stimulation.
  • The percentage of CD45RA+ cells declined significantly within 12 hours with each of crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite (p less than 0.05).
  • The percentage of CD4+ CD45RA+ cells decreased about 17, 14 and 11% within 12 hours with crocidolite, anthophyllite and amosite respectively (p less than 0.05). A decline was also observed 72 hours after incubation.
  • Both mononuclear cells and purified T cells showed increased intracellular calcium from 1 to 30 minutes after fibres were added. The effect was weaker in purified T cells.
  • Cell viability did not differ between cells cultured with or without 50 micrograms per millilitre of fibres and was more than 90%. LDH release did not differ significantly.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the results indicate activation of the CD4+ CD45RA+ T lymphocyte subset by asbestos fibres.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The mechanism responsible for the rise in intracellular calcium remains unknown.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Crocidolite, Anthophyllite, Amosite.

Related studies

• Chromosomal aberrations induced by chrysotile and crocidolite in human lymphocytes in vitro — F. Valerio, M. de Ferrari, et al. (1983)
• Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction in mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes by benzanthracene or cigarette tars adsorbed to asbestos fibers — T.L. McLemore, W.T. Jenkins, et al. (1979)
• Polyclonal human T-cell activation by silicate in vitro — A. Ueki, M. Yamaguchi, et al. (1994)
• Activation of human CD4+CD45RA+ T cells by chrysotile asbestos in vitro — K. Kinugawa, A. Ueki, et al. (1992)
• Activation-induced cell death in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after stimulation with silicate in vitro — T. Aikoh, A. Tomokuni, et al. (1998)
• Proliferation stimulating effects of chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos fibres on B lymphocyte cell lines — A. Ueki, T. Oka, et al. (1984)

Browse more research in International Journal of Oncology, or return to medical research.