Cigarette smoke increases the penetration of asbestos fibers into airway walls

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Am. J. Pathol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5614737

McFadden, D; Wright, J; Wiggs, B; Churg, A

For study of the penetration of asbestos fibers into airway walls, guinea pigs were given amosite asbestos by intratracheal instillation. Half of the animals were also exposed to cigarette smoke. Animals were sacrificed at 1 week and 1 month, and numbers of fibers in airway walls were counted in histologic sections. In both smoke-exposed and nonexposed groups, numbers of fibers per square millimeter of airway wall increased from 1 week to 1 month in the respiratory bronchioles. At each time period, smoke-exposed animals had significantly higher numbers of fibers in the airway walls, compared with nonexposed animals. It is concluded that 1) continued transport of fibers into interstitial tissues may be the reason that asbestosis can progress after cessation of exposure; 2) cigarette smoke increases the penetration of fibers into airway walls. This effect may play a role in the increased incidence of disease seen in smoking, compared with nonsmoking, asbestos workers.

• Research Organization: Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver
• OSTI ID: 5614737
• Journal Information: Am. J. Pathol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Pathol.; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN AJPAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900 -- Pathology
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
ASBESTOS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
BODY
BRONCHI
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
EPITHELIUM
FIBERS
GUINEA PIGS
MAMMALS
PERSONNEL
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RETENTION
RODENTS
SMOKES
SOLS
TISSUES
TOBACCO SMOKES
VERTEBRATES