Characterization of Nerve Agent Exposure on Alveolar Macrophage Function

摘要

The acute effects of the inhalation or subcutaneous (s.c.) administration ofsoman or guinea pig alveolar macrophage (GPAM) function were studied in vitro using sub-lethal levels of soman at 0.01 LD50 (0.3 microgram per kilogram), 0.02 LD50 (0.6 microgram per kilogram), 0.02 LD50 (0.6 microgram per kilogram), and 0.1 LD50 (3 microgram per kilogram). Inhalation exposure was accomplished with the use of a uniquely designed apparatus which allowed for a nose-only exposure to four individual animals/experiment. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid retrieved after either sham or soman treatment contained 87% mononuclear cells (92% viability) with the remainder of the cells comprised of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophils. A spectrum of functional assays were used to detect changes in GPAM function. These assays included determining the: (1) chemotactic responsiveness to phorbol-12,13 myristate acetate (PMA); (2) phagocytosis of opsonized 51 Cr-sheep erythrocytes; (3) release of the lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase; (4) cytolytic activity as measured by the release of 51CR; (5) superoxide anion generation as determined by the reduction of cytochrome C; and (6) the spreading capacity of the GPAM.