NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Lucigenin chemiluminescence assay as an adjunctive tool for assessment of various stages of inflammation: a study of quiescent inflammatory cells.

Dyke-KV; Patel-S; Vallyathan-V

J Biosci 2003 Feb; 28(1):115-119

http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/feb2003/115.pdf

20022590

A simple, fast, precise and biologically relevant toxicity assay for screening cytotoxicity of minerals would have distinct advantages due to its cost benefits and relative savings in time. Furthermore, a bioassay to differentiate acute and chronic in vivo pulmonary reactions could have potential value as predictors of fibrogenicity and pathogenicity. In this study we examined the potential use of lucigenin as a probe to evaluate the correlation between chemiluminescence (CL) generated by alveolar macrophages with the known cytotoxicity and pathogenicity by conventional bioassays. In this study, we used small doses of dust (20 mg) to minimize cellular overload and to maintain homeostasis. Crystalline silica a highly fibrogenic dust was used as positive control and results are compared with those for bentonite, kaolin and talc. Among the three minerals compared with silica, bentonite was more reactive (27%) in CL assay and declined sharply compared to other minerals. This sudden decline in bentonite CL is caused by cytotoxicity leading to cell death. CL-induced by talc was comparable to silica and declines slowly. Kaolin on the other hand produced relatively a weaker (25%) CL compared to silica. Our data using relatively low doses of dust suggest that the CL assay may have a better predictive value in cytotoxicity evaluations compared to conventional toxicity assays.

In-vivo-studies; In-vitro-studies; Luminescence; Dust-exposure; Pulmonary-disorders; Silica-dusts; Fibrosis; Cytotoxic-effects; Cytotoxins; Mineral-dusts

West Virginia Health Science Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Morgantown, WV, 26506

JOBSDN

14808-60-7

20030201

Journal Article

kvandyke@hsc.wvu.edu

2003

1

0250-5991

HELD

Work Environment and Workforce: Mixed Exposures

Journal of Biosciences

WV