Document aO4GDXMDoQdan9oebe4aLdwB

( lUC l\,} Ah*. //>' Vol. !\ pp. 241-2,^0. INr^amorv Pfcv* W7J, PrmuJ in Grciii Bnum CMS T j COMPARISON BETWEEN IN VITRO TOXICITY OF POLYMER AND MINERAL DUSTS AND THEIR FIBROGENIC1TY J. A. Stylls a:ui J. Wilson Imperial Chemical Indl:mrici Limited, Industrial Il>gicne Research Laboratories, Alde.'Iey Park, near MaecIesliefJ, Cheshire Abstract--The cytotoxicity of a variety of polymer dusts to suspensions of rat alveolar and peritonea! I'n.ierophares in culture v, as measured uvir.tt trypan blue as an indicator of cell av-Uh. Suspension: red u, r.iiv by inirapcritor.ejl injection and the lowc reae between the cytotoxicity of the dusts to macrophages in culture and the degree of librosix caused by them in the animals. INTRODUCTION Tnc relationship between cytotoxicity of mineral dusts to macrophages in vitro and their fibrogcr.ic activity in vivo was examined by Marks vt at. (1956) using a quantita tive in vitro technique (Marks and Mason, 1956). Further work was carried out by Conning ct al. (1971) who compared (he ability of several mineral and polymer dusts to produce progressive nr persistent fibrosis after intraperiioneal or intratracheal injection in rats, and their cytotoxic activity in rat alveolar and peritoneal macrophages in culture. They were able to distinguish three dislinet levels of eyioloxicity in vitro which related directly to the degree of llbrogcnieiiy of the dusts in viva. The dusts of low cytotoxicity did not cause persistent fibrosis: those of intermediate cytotoxicity were comparable to silica in their ability to cause progressive fibrosis. Only asbestos was placed in the third category of cytotoxicity and this produced the most fibrosis. The results of these investigations suggest that there is a direct relationship between cytotoxicity of a dust to macrophages in culture and fibrogenicity in t lie Jiving animal. With il'.c limited material available they ware unable to elucidate the effects of changes in particle si/.e and configuration. Marks ct al. (1956) examined only mineral dusts-, and Conning ct al. (1971) examined two mineral and two polymer dusts. The present study examines the relation between cytotoxicity to macrophages in culture and the Jihroger.ic activity in vivo of a much wider range of polymer and mineral dusts allowing more general conclusions to be drawn. MATH RIALS AND MHTHODS Animals Specific pathogen free albino Wistar rats (Alderlcy Park strain) of both sexes and of a weight range 200-750 g were used, . 241 AS I 00021988