Cytokinetic and morphological changes in the lungs and lung-associated lymph nodes of rats after inhalation of fly ash

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6289822

Shami, S G; Silbaugh, S A; Hahn, F F; Griffith, W C; Hobbs, C H

Fischer-344 rats (male and female) were exposed to 36 mg/mT of fluidized bed coal combustion fly ash or sham-exposed for 7 hr/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks, and sacrificed after 2 or 4 weeks of exposure and at 2, 22, and 42 weeks after the end of exposure. Animals were injected with tritiated thymidine 2 hr before sacrifice and autoradiographs prepared from 1- m sections of lung and lymph node tissue embedded in glycol methacrylate plastic. Differences in labeling indices of pulmonary epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages, airway epithelial cells, and cells of the lung-associated lymph nodes between the exposed and control animals were maximal after 2 and 4 weeks of exposure. Labeling indices for lung epithelial cells were about the same in control and exposed animals at 2, 22, and 42 weeks after the end of exposure. However, these values were elevated relative to earlier control levels. In contrast, morphological changes in the fly ash-exposed animals were most prominent after the end of the exposure. These changes included thickening of the alveolar walls, clusters of particle-filled macrophages in the alveolar region, and perivascular inflammation. Additionally, there were small granulomas in the alveolar region at 42 weeks after the end of exposure. Granulomas were also formed in the lung-associated lymph nodes and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue. The authors conclude that the inhalation of fly ash alone had little detrimental effect upon the rat lung. However, the increases in proliferation indicate the potential for fly ash combined with a carcinogen to enhance the carcinogen's effect. 50 references, 10 figures.

• Research Organization: Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76EV01013
• OSTI ID: 6289822
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 35; Conference: Annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 8-11 Mar 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FLY ASH
INHALATION
LUNGS
GRANULOMAS
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
LYMPH NODES
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
CARCINOGENS
EPITHELIUM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MACROPHAGES
RATS
SYNERGISM
THYMIDINE
TOXICITY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
AEROSOL WASTES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
ASHES
AZINES
BODY
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DATA
DISEASES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MAMMALS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHAGOCYTES
PYRIMIDINES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RIBOSIDES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)
550201 - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques