Inflammation and Immunomodulation Caused by Short and Long Amosite Asbestos Samples

Production of interleukin 1 by rat pleural leucocytes in culture after intratracheal instillation of crocidolite asbestos.

“…An in vitro study also showed that exposure of peritoneal macrophages to chrysotile asbestos resulted in increased intracellular IL-1 in those cells.9 Long amosite asbestos also stimulates increased release of the cytokine tumour necrosis factor compared to short amosite. 20 In the present study we have shown that asbestos in the airspace results in a decrease in the IL-1 secreting activity of pleural cells. Because deposition of asbestos in the airspace also suppressed production of tumour necrosis factor by pleural leucocytes in culture,'9 this suppression may have some general selective value in the pleural space.…”

Asbestiform Amphiboles and Cleavage Fragments Analogues: Overview of Critical Dimensions, Aspect Ratios, Exposure and Health Effects

“…The cell culture studies conducted by Donaldson et al [35,36], Brown et al [41] and Hill et al [42] have generally confirmed that particles shorter than 5 µm have little pathologic effect, contrary to what might be expected from a general respirable silicate mineral dust.…”

“…Adib et al [34] examined the lungs of asbestos-exposed workers with asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, finding about 50% of particles, including chrysotile, with length < 5 µm and about 20% of fibres with length > 5 µm, width < 3 µm and aspect ratio > 3:1. Donaldson et al [35,36] explored the effects induced in mice by intraperitoneal administration of single doses of amosite samples with fibres longer than 5 µm and amosite samples with particles shorter than 5 µm (with A/R > 3:1 for both categories). The different samples were injected in equal amounts.…”