Effect of inhaled alpha-emitting nuclides on mouse alveolar macrophages

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Radiation Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3577619· OSTI ID:5224022

Talbot, R J; Nicholls, L; Morgan, A; Moores, S R ^[1]

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1. Harwell Laboratory, Oxfordshire (England)

The effects of inhaled alpha emitters on the free cell population of the mouse lung were investigated up to 100 days after exposure. Groups of mice inhaled aerosols of {sup 238}PuO{sub 2}, {sup 239}PuO{sub 2}, or {sup 241}Am(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} to give alveolar deposits resulting in lung-averaged cumulative absorbed doses of about 20 Gy by the end of the study. Initially, with {sup 238}Pu most of the activity was associated with relatively few pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM), whereas with {sup 241}Am, all pulmonary alveolar macrophages were labeled and a substantial fraction was extracellular. The free cell population of the lung was sampled using bronchoalveolar lavage. The main parameters investigated were (a) the recovery and total numbers of free cells, including PAM, lymphocytes, and neutrophils; (b) the incidence of nuclear abnormalities in PAM (cells with more than one nucleus or with micronuclei); and (c) metabolic activation of PAM from measurements of their size and associated beta-glucuronidase activity. All three actinides produced depletions in total numbers of PAM, increased incidences of nuclear abnormalities, and metabolic activation of PAM, without a marked infiltration of inflammatory cells. Americium-241, which is distributed relatively uniformly in PAM, produced the most marked changes in that population and {sup 238}Pu, which gave the most inhomogeneous distribution of activity, produced the least.

• OSTI ID: 5224022
• Journal Information: Radiation Research; (USA), Journal Name: Radiation Research; (USA) Vol. 119:2; ISSN 0033-7587; ISSN RAREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560162* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA PARTICLES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL NUCLEI
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
ENZYMES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GLUCURONIDASE
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROLASES
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
LAVAGE
LUNGS
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
METABOLIC ACTIVATION
METABOLISM
MICE
NUCLEI
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PHAGOCYTES
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SILICON 32 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES