Production of reactive oxygen metabolites induced by asbestos fibres in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes

Our plain-English summary of Production of reactive oxygen metabolites induced by asbestos fibres in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes, by M. Hedenborg, M. Klockars (Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1987).

The study

• Authors: M. Hedenborg, M. Klockars
• Journal: Journal of Clinical Pathology
• Published: 1987;40(10):1189-93
• Cited by: 41 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

The ability of quartz and various asbestos fibres to induce the production of reactive oxygen metabolites in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes was assessed. A chemiluminescence assay showed that the activation of polymorphonuclear leucocytes was induced in the following order of effect: quartz; chrysotile A; crocidolite; chrysotile B; amosite; and anthophyllite. Only slight chemiluminescence was produced by cells exposed to wollastonites and titanium dioxide. A positive correlation was seen between production of chemiluminescence and red cell haemolysis. Our results suggest that the potential of various environmental particles and mineral fibres to induce inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer of the lung could be related to their ability to induce inflammatory cells to produce reactive oxygen metabolites.

In plain English

This was a laboratory experiment. The authors took a type of white blood cell (polymorphonuclear leucocytes) from the blood of apparently healthy adults. In test tubes, they exposed the cells to quartz, four standard reference asbestos samples (chrysotile A, chrysotile B, amosite and crocidolite), anthophyllite, two wollastonite samples and titanium dioxide. They measured the light the cells gave off (chemiluminescence) as a sign that they were producing reactive oxygen metabolites, chemicals that can damage tissue. They also tested how strongly each material broke open red blood cells (haemolysis). Weight for weight, the response was strongest with quartz, followed by chrysotile A, crocidolite, chrysotile B, amosite and anthophyllite. Wollastonites and titanium dioxide produced only slight responses. The response rose in line with dose from 5 to 100 micrograms per millilitre. The light response generally matched haemolysis, except that crocidolite and amosite caused weak haemolysis but a relatively strong light response. The authors concluded that the potential of particles and mineral fibres to cause lung inflammation, fibrosis and cancer could be related to their ability to make these cells produce reactive oxygen metabolites.

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: Laboratory (in vitro) experiment measuring chemiluminescence from human white blood cells exposed to mineral particles and fibres, plus a red blood cell haemolysis test. Each experiment was repeated at least three times.
• Who was studied: Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (a type of white blood cell) isolated from venous blood of apparently healthy adults. The study was done at the Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. The number of blood donors is not stated.
• Exposure: UICC standard reference samples of chrysotile A, chrysotile B, amosite and crocidolite. Also tested: Finnish anthophyllite and Finnish wollastonite (from Partek Co), United States wollastonite, a fractionated quartz sample, and titanium dioxide. In the chemiluminescence tests, concentrations ran from 5 to 100 micrograms per millilitre (50 micrograms per millilitre in the comparison figures). In the haemolysis test, the concentration was 2.0 mg per millilitre for two hours at 37°C.
• Main results:
  • On an equal mass basis, cell activation was strongest with quartz, then chrysotile A, crocidolite, chrysotile B, amosite and anthophyllite.
  • The wollastonites and titanium dioxide produced chemiluminescence only slightly above control background levels.
  • With the mineral fibres, peak light intensity was reached in eight to 14 minutes, after which chemiluminescence decreased.
  • Chemiluminescence intensity rose linearly with fibre and particle concentration across 5 to 100 micrograms per millilitre.
  • The chemiluminescence response correlated positively with haemolysis, with one exception: crocidolite and amosite caused weak haemolysis but a relatively strong chemiluminescence response.
  • Titanium dioxide had a negligible effect in both tests.
  • Weight for weight, crocidolite produced as strong a reactive oxygen metabolite response as chrysotile.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the potential of environmental particles and mineral fibres to induce inflammation, fibrosis and cancer of the lung could be related to their ability to make inflammatory cells produce reactive oxygen metabolites. They also suggested that the chemiluminescence assay may predict the inflammatory and fibrogenic potential of mineral fibres, including man-made mineral fibres.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors state that they cannot directly relate their findings on oxygen metabolites from these cells to red cell haemolysis and cytotoxicity.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Chrysotile, Crocidolite, Amosite, Anthophyllite, Wollastonite, Inflammation, Fibrosis.

Related studies

• Chemiluminescent detection of induced reactive oxygen metabolite production of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes by anthophyllite asbestos — T. Iwata, N. Kohyama, et al. (2002)
• IgG and IgA enhance the chrysotile-induced production of reactive oxygen metabolites by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes — M. Klockars, M. Hedenborg, et al. (1989)
• Cellular mechanisms of reactive oxygen metabolite generation from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes induced by crocidolite asbestos — T. Ishizaki, E. Yano, et al. (1997)
• Production of reactive oxygen species by man-made vitreous fibres in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes — M. Ruotsalainen, M.R. Hirvonen, et al. (1999)
• Crocidolite-induced reactive oxygen metabolites generation from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes — T. Ishizaki, E. Yano, et al. (1994)
• Changes in free intracellular calcium and production of reactive oxygen metabolites in human leukocytes by soluble and particulate stimuli — M. Tuomala, M.R. Hirvonen, et al. (1993)

Browse more research in Journal of Clinical Pathology, or return to medical research.