Environmental sulfur dioxide: toxicity toward the alveolar macrophage
This study was designed to determine if SO/sub 2/ and/or its associated ions in solution (H/sub 3/O/sup +/, HSO/sub 3//sup -/, SO/sub 3//sup =/ and SO/sub 4//sup =/) are cytotoxic to rat PAM cells in primary culture. The indices of cytotoxicity which were evaluated included cell viability uptake of particles and viable bacteria, inhibition of antioxidant enzymes, cell surface morphology and oxygen utilization. For determining effects on cell viability, function and morphology, exposures were conducted for 20 hours at either 30 or 37 deg. C in Leighton culture tubes of polystyrene petri dishes. In both instances, cells were attached to glass. Cell viability dose-response curves were obtained with H/sub 3/O/sup +/ (HCl and H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/), SO/sub 2/ (dissolved gas), HSO/sub 3//sup -/, SO/sub 3//sup =/ and SO/sub 4//sup =/. Buffer strength and pH were varied to determine the effect of these various molecular species on viability. Sulfur dioxide gas exhibited a weak protentiating effect on H/sub 3/O/sup +/ toxicity below pH 6.4. Significant viability loss did not occur above pH 6.4. Particle uptake was diminished significantly at sulfite concentration greater than or equal to 500 uM, pH 7.2. Sulfite was found to be a potent competitive inhibitor of GSH-peroxidase in vitro. A slight yet significant change in cell morphology occurred at sulfite concentrations of 200 uM and 4000 uM and pH 7.2. There was a significant difference in O/sub 2/ utilization between control and 4000 uM exposed cells, indicating a potential diminution in cell-surface mediated respiratory stimulation. Based on these studies, sulfur dioxide gas exposure may have an effect on alveolar macrophage function depending on the ambient concentration of the gas and its accumulation in the airspaces of the lung.
- Research Organization:
- Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5517501
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MACROPHAGES
MORPHOLOGY
VIABILITY
SULFUR DIOXIDE
AIR POLLUTION
ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
ANIMAL CELLS
CHALCOGENIDES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DRUGS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHAGOCYTES
POLLUTION
SOMATIC CELLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)