Cellular response to coal in vitro cwp (coal workers pneumoconiosis). Final report

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6729057

Christian, R T; Elia, V J; Cody, T E; Menefee, M G; Bell, M

Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP) was studied at the cellular levels using samples of Pennsylvania (PC) and Utah (UC) coal placed in contact with cultured mammalian cells. The growth of mammalian cells was depressed by both types of coal, with the depression caused by PC being much greater. The concentration of nickel in leachates compared most closely with biological activity. There may be more occurrences of CWP in workers exposed to PC than UC not only because PC coal has more respirable particles, but also because the leachate substances appear to be more toxic. The hydroxyproline level of cell-layer collagen was decreased when the cells were exposed to coal leachates. An accumulation of collagenous tissue is found in the lungs of miners suffering from CWP. Human-lung fibroblasts in culture produced increased amounts of collagen fibers when treated with a substance known to enhance collagen synthesis in-vivo. Collagen seen in the lungs of miners suffering from CWP may arise by a different process or as a secondary response to damage in the lung.

• Research Organization: Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6729057
• Report Number(s): PB-88-247580/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
COAL MINERS
PNEUMOCONIOSES
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
CELL TRANSFORMATIONS
COAL
COLLAGEN
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
METABOLISM
NICKEL
PARTICLE SIZE
PATHOLOGY
PROGRESS REPORT
TOXICITY
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DISEASES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PROTEINS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SCLEROPROTEINS
SIZE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
016000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Health & Safety
552000 - Public Health