Impact of acute and subchronic asbestos exposure on some parameters of antioxidant defense system and lung tissue injury

Abstract

Asbestos fibers have been used in industry for decades. Deleterious effect of asbestos on the lungs has been documented. However, the mechanism of asbestos related diseases has not been fully explained yet. Numerous papers suggest there is a role of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in asbestos-induced lung disease development. The excess ROI produced can be removed from the lungs by enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. The aim of our study was to compare the levels of antioxidants (ascorbic acid, retinol, α-tocopherol, glutathionperoxidase) as well as some markers of lung injury (lipid peroxides, total amount of protein, alkaline phosphatase) in asbestos treated Wistar-rats both 24 hr and 3 months after exposure to those in the controls, and to find out if the changes in antioxidant levels could affect impairment of the lungs. Decreased levels of antioxidants and increased values of lung tissue injury parameters in exposed groups suggest involvement of ROI in the mechanism of asbestos lung disease development, resulting in lung tissue injury, both 24 hr and 3 months after exposure.