Effects of acute radon progeny exposure on rat alveolar macrophage number and function
- Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Alveolar macrophages play a key role in removal and translocation of inhaled particles and have been shown to influence proliferation of Alveolar Type II cells and fibroblasts. The effect of radon progeny on alveolar macrophage number and function is not documented. Functional impairment of alveolar macrophages may be an ancillary event in the induction of pulmonary lesions and may also indicate dose to the peripheral lung. In our study, rats were exposed to 1000 working level months (WLM) of radon progeny over a 3- to 5-h period, with a vector aerosol of environmental tobacco smoke. Groups of animals were sacrificed, and the lungs were lavaged immediately after exposure and on days 2, 18, 16, 21 and 29 after exposure. The numbers and viabilities of the lavaged macrophages were determined. Cytological preparations were made to determine the number of binucleated/multinucleated macrophages and macrophages containing micronuclei. The DNA content was measured flow-cytometrically using Hoechst 33342, and phagocytosis was assayed by determining the uptake of fluorescent microspheres. The numbers and viabilities of macrophages recovered from exposed animals were similar to the values measured for control animals. There was no evidence of an inflammatory reaction during any period after radon progeny exposure. Nuclear atypia, evidenced by increases in the number of binucleated cells and cells with micronuclei, occurred in animals 8 days after exposure, and this response peaked at 21 days after exposure. The phagocytic capability of the alveolar macrophages was not significantly affected at any time point after exposure. These results show that there was little functional impairment of alveolar macrophages in rats after acute radon-progeny exposure; however, there was long-standing interference with cell division, resulting in binucleated and micronucleated macrophages.
- OSTI ID:
- 45721
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-901010--Pt.2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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