Effects of diesel engine exhaust on pulmonary alveolar macrophages

Journal Article · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1979 · Scanning Electron Microsc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5875832

Chen, S; Weller, M A; Barnhart, M I

The in vivo effects of inhalation of diesel engine exhaust (DEE) on pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) was studied in 73 guinea pigs and 48 rats. Animals were exposed in individual cages in special chambers to 3 different dose levels of DEE expressed in terms of the concentration of soot or carbon particles (-P); 250, 1500, 6000 micrograms DEE-P/M3. Exposure durations for guinea pigs were 1 and 3 days, 1 and 2 weeks, 2, 4, 8 and 12 months while rats were exposed 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 months. Age matched controls were similarly exposed concurrently to clean air. PAM obtained by bronchopulmonary lavage from exposed animals had viabilities comparable to controls. PAM diameters and relative surface areas increased 2 to 3 fold over controls and in relation to both the dose of DEE-P given and the exposure duration. Most of the in vivo exposed PAM had phagocytized DEE-P which did not appear to be cytotoxic and remained confined in phagosomes as discrete particles with diameters of 0.014 to 0.072 micrometer. Ability of PAM to adhere and spread on test surfaces was greater in the DEE-P sets than in controls. DEE-P containing PAM were still able to phagocytize latex particles when fed in vitro. However, such PAM had defective phagocytosis ability, and did not in the same time interval take up as much fluorescent latex as controls when studied by flow system technology. Absolute numbers of PAM in guinea pig lavages from exposures to 250 and 1500 microgram DEE-P/M3 for 2 months were not significantly changed over concurrent controls. Exudative leukocytes (eosinophils in guinea pigs and neutrophils in rats) appeared in the lavage in greater numbers as dose and duration of exposure increased. Another species difference was the appearance in DEE-P exposed guinea pig lavages of reactive monocytes.

• OSTI ID: 5875832
• Journal Information: Scanning Electron Microsc.; (United States), Journal Name: Scanning Electron Microsc.; (United States) Vol. 3; ISSN SEMYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
550300 -- Cytology
551000 -- Physiological Systems
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DIESEL ENGINES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
EXPOSURE CHAMBERS
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
GUINEA PIGS
HEAT ENGINES
IN VIVO
INHALATION
INTAKE
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LAVAGE
LUNGS
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANS
PHAGOCYTES
PHAGOCYTOSIS
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SENSITIVITY
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES