Cigarette smoke makes airway and early parenchymal asbestos-induced lung disease worse in the guinea pig

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/136.2.271· OSTI ID:5956346

Tron, V; Wright, J L; Harrison, N; Wiggs, B; Churg, A

In order to assess the effects of cigarette smoke and asbestos exposure, we divided guinea pigs into 4 groups: smoking or nonsmoking, and asbestos-exposed or not asbestos-exposed groups. Asbestos-exposed animals were given a single intratracheal instillation of 5 mg UICC amosite, a dose and method of administration that we have previously shown produces morphologic changes in the small airways as well as minimal interstitial fibrosis. Animals were smoked 5 days per week for 6 months. By itself, smoking did not affect lung collagen content, small airways wall thickness, or the volume fraction of tissue surrounding airways, but it did cause a significant increase in alveolar mean linear intercept (Lm). Asbestos alone increased collagen content, airway wall thickness, and tissue volume fraction surrounding airways, the latter measure used to assess interstitial fibrosis. An unexpected finding was that asbestos also increased Lm. The two agents administered together caused more severe changes of all types than were produced by either agent alone, and the interaction between the 2 was generally synergistic. Smoke-exposed animals retained 3 times the asbestos fiber burden of those not smoke-exposed; the increase in retention was greater for short than for long fibers. We conclude that cigarette smoke can potentiate the fibrosis induced by asbestos, possibly because of increased fiber retention. As well, in this model, asbestos or asbestos plus cigarette smoke produces increases in alveolar size.

• Research Organization: Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver
• OSTI ID: 5956346
• Journal Information: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States) Vol. 136:2; ISSN ARDSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AMINES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
ASBESTOS
AZOLES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
COLLAGEN
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
FIBROSIS
GUINEA PIGS
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY ACIDS
HYDROXYPROLINE
LUNGS
MAMMALS
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PROTEINS
PYRROLES
PYRROLIDINES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RETENTION
RODENTS
SCLEROPROTEINS
SMOKES
SOLS
SYNERGISM
TOBACCO SMOKES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES