Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T09:00:47.144Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Identification of toxic mineral dusts using mammalian cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

R. Davies
Affiliation:
R. Davies, M. Chamberlain, R. C. Brown and D. M. Griffiths, MRC Pneumoconiosis Unit, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, CF6 1XW, U.K.
M. Chamberlain
Affiliation:
R. Davies, M. Chamberlain, R. C. Brown and D. M. Griffiths, MRC Pneumoconiosis Unit, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, CF6 1XW, U.K.
R. C. Brown
Affiliation:
R. Davies, M. Chamberlain, R. C. Brown and D. M. Griffiths, MRC Pneumoconiosis Unit, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, CF6 1XW, U.K.
D. M. Griffiths
Affiliation:
R. Davies, M. Chamberlain, R. C. Brown and D. M. Griffiths, MRC Pneumoconiosis Unit, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, CF6 1XW, U.K.

Abstract

Cell culture systems have been developed to assess the potential pathogenicity of mineral dusts. The in vitro cytotoxicities of a variety of dusts towards mouse peritoneal macrophages, Chinese hamster lung cells (V79 cell line) and human alveolar type II cells (A549 cell line) were investigated.

Non-pathogenic dusts were found to be inert in vitro. Fibrogenic non-fibrous dusts such as silica were only cytotoxic towards macrophages. Fibrous dusts which are both fibrogenic and carcinogenic in vivo are cytotoxic towards all three cell types, their cytotoxicity being dependent on fibre size. The size range important for the observed biological effect is longer than about 8 μm and thinner than about 1·5 μm.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brown, R. C., Chamberlain, M., Griffiths, D. M. & Timbrell, V. 1978. The effect of fibre size on the in vitro biological effect of three types of amphibole asbestos. INT J CANCER 22, 721–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, R. C., Chamberlain, M. & Skidmore, J. W. 1979. In vitro effects of man-made mineral fibres. ANN OCCUP HYG 22, 175–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Chamberlain, M. & Brown, R. C. 1978. The cytotoxic effects of asbestos and other mineral dust in tissue culture cell lines. BR J EXP PATHOL 59, 183–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Chamberlain, M., Brown, R. C., Davies, R. & Griffiths, D. M. 1979. In vitro prediction of the pathogenicity of mineral dusts. BR J EXP PATHOL 60, 320–7.Google Scholar
Crofton, J. & Douglas, A. 1975. Respiratory Diseases, 2nd edn, 519–22. Oxford. Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Davies, R. 1980a. The effect of dusts on enzyme release from macrophages. In Brown, R. C., Gormley, I. P., Chamberlain, M. & Davies, R. (eds) The in vitro effects of mineral dusts. London: Academic Press (in press).Google Scholar
Davies, R. 1980b. The effect of synthetic silica on mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro. In Symposium on Health Effects of Synthetic Silica Particulates. Proceedings of a symposium 5–6 Nov., 1979, Torremolinos, Spain (in press).Google Scholar
Davis, J. M. G. 1972. The fibrogenic effects of mineral dusts injected into the pleural cavity of mice. BR J EXP PATHOL 53, 190201.Google ScholarPubMed
Hammond, E. C. & Selikoff, I. J. 1973. Relation of cigarette smoking to risk of death of asbestos associated disease among insulation workers in the United States. In Bogovski, P., Gilson, J. C., Wagner, J. C. & Timbrell, V. (eds) Biological Effects of Asbestos, 209–16. SCI PUBL INT AGENCY RES CANCER No. 8 Lyon, France.Google Scholar
Harington, J. S., Allison, A. C. & Badami, D. V. L. 1975. Mineral fibres: chemical, physiochemical and biological properties. ADV PHARMACOL CHEMOTHER 12, 291402.Google Scholar
Jaisural, A. K., Kan, J. L., Rahman, Q., Visnawathan.P. N. & Zaidi, S. H. 1977. Pulmonary response to haematite dust: A biochemical and histopathological study in guinea pigs. IND HEALTH 15, 117–22.Google Scholar
Stanton, M. F. & Wrench, C. 1972. Mechanisms of mesothelioma induction with asbestos and fibrous glass. J NATL CANCER INST 48, 797821.Google ScholarPubMed
Stanton, M. F. & Layard, M. 1978. The carcinogenicity of fibrous minerals. In Gravatt, C. C., LaFleur, P. D. & Heinrich, K. F. J. (eds) Asbestos: Definitions and Measurement Methods. Proceedings of a Workshop, Gaithersburg, MD, 18-20th July, 1977. NATL BUR STAND PUBL 506, 143–51.Google Scholar
Timbrell, V. & Rendall, R. E. G. 1971. Preparation of the UICC Standard Reference Sample of Asbestos. POWDER TECHNOL 5, 279–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wagner, J. C. & Berry, G. 1969. Mesotheliomas in rats following inoculation with asbestos. BR J CANCER 23, 567–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wagner, J. C., Gilson, J. C., Berry, G. & Timbrell, V. 1971. Epidemiology of asbestos cancers. BR MED BULL 27, 71–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wagner, J. C., Berry, G., Skidmore, J. W. & Timbrell, V. 1974. The effects of the inhalation of asbestos in rats. BR J CANCER 29, 252–69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wagner, J. C., Berry, G. & Skidmore, J. W. 1976. Studies of the carcinogenic effects of fibrous glass of different diameters following intrapleural inoculation in experimental animals. In Occupational Exposure to Fibrous Glass. Proceedings of a symposium, College Park, Maryland, June 1974, Health, Education and Welfare Publications No. (NIOSH) 76–151, p. 193.Google Scholar