Toxicology and Industrial Health

A survey was conducted to check the toxicological impact of ethylene glycol present in a thermal decomposition mixture of type C hydraulic fluid on laboratory animals submitted to an inhalation test. The target organs, i.e. kidneys, of exposed rats were evaluated histologically and oxalic acid—the ethylene glycol metabolite thought to cause renal failure—was quantified in urine samples. The results show that the low ethylene glycol concentrations present in the inhalation chamber produce only a temporarily increased oxalic acid excretion, at levels that are not significant. These findings are supported by the histological evaluation of the kidneys showing no calcium oxalate deposits or other abnormalities.

We have previously shown that natural killer (NK) cell activity is significantly suppressed in patients with silicone breast implants. These patients were symptomatic and the suppression of natural killer cell activity was associated with additional significant immunological abnormalities (Vojdani et al, 1992a). Our studies have recently been confirmed by Smith et al. (1994), who described natural killer cell activity suppression following exposure to silicone gel, and reversal upon removal of the gel.

This study has been designed to evaluate natural killer cell activities in symptomatic women with silicone breast implants and again after explantation of the implants. Each patient served as her own control. Our findings show a marked significant increase in previously suppressed natural killer cell activity in 50% of the patients. In the other 50%, no change or suppressed NK activity was observed. These findings are compatible with recent studies in experimental animals, which show that administration of silicone reduces natural killer cell activity, and that this is reversible upon removal of the silicone.

Since NK cells are important in the control of tumor cell growth, we propose here that patients with reduced NK cell activity are at a higher risk of developing cancer, a concept recently described in experimental animals (Potter et al., 1994; Salhon et al, 1994).

Gangliosides perform protective functions in the central nervous system. This paper describes a study of the effect of ganglioside administration on toluene neurotoxicity. Rat brain met-enkephalin immunostaining in the central amygdaloid nuclei showed changes in rats treated simultaneously with gangliosides and toluene with respect to rats treated with toluene alone. It is suggested that gangliosides prevent toluene neurotoxicity at this level, leading to hypothetical neurobehavioral changes.

Conjugation and detoxification of mixed function oxidase (MFO)-mediated benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] metabolites with glucuronic acid and glutathione (GSH) are major pathways of B(a)P elimination and ultimately excretion in vivo. We have studied the effects of uridine diphosphate α-D-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) and GSH, a cofactor for the synthesis of glucuronide and GSH conjugates, respectively, on B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity and mutagenicity in mammalian cells. The S9-mix used in the Chinese hamster ovary cell/hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (CHO/HPRT) mutational assay was supplemented with either UDPGA, GSH, or GSH plus purified GSH-S-transferases (GSHTs), to study modulation of glucuronide and GSH detoxification mechanisms on B(a)P-induced cytotoxic and mutagenic effects. We found that the addition of UDPGA to S9-mix reduces cytotoxicity induced by either B(a)P or B(a)P 6-OH but not by B(a)P 7,8-diol [B(a)P-diol]. The reduction of B(a)P and B(a)P 6-OH-induced cytotoxicity by glucuronide conjugation is likely due to elimination of cytotoxic phenols and quinones. The addition of GSH to the S9-mix resulted in a reduction of B(a)P- and B(a)P-diol-induced cytotoxicity. GSH plus GSHT reduced B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity and mutagenicity. GSH inhibited the mutagenicity at low concentrations of B(a)P-diol. GSH plus GSHTs inhibited the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of B(a)P-diol at concentrations not affected by GSH alone. These studies demonstrate that mechanisms of detoxification can affect the biological activity of B(a)P and B(a)P-diol as profoundly as bioactivation by the MFO system. Future research should address studies of mutagenicity modulation by metabolic effectors at both the molecular (DNA sequence) and cellular (quantitative mutagenesis) level.

This experiment was performed to investigate changes in the thymus of Wistar-strain male rats administered cadmium chloride (CdCl₂), mercuric chloride (HgCl₂), and lead chloride (PbCl₂) salts. The study involved measurement of: 1) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content; 2) ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content; 3) incorporation of 3h-thymidine during in-vitro investigation; and 4) histological and morphological changes.

It was shown in investigations on DNA content that administration of heavy metal salts caused an average 76% decrease in DNA content compared to the control. Moreover, in the thymus of experimental animals, an average 69% decrease in vitamin C content was recorded. In in vitro cultures, heavy metal salts decreased the incorporation of 3H-thymidine in thymic cells.

Several studies have shown that numerous National Priorities List (NPL) sites have been contaminated with arsenic (747), cadmium (791), chloroform (596), or nickel (664). The National Toxicology Program (NTP, 1991) has classified these substances as known human carcinogens (arsenic and certain arsenic compounds) or as substances that may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens (cadmium and certain cadmium compounds, chloroform, and nickel and certain nickel compounds). The general population is probably exposed to low levels of these hazardous substances through drinking water, eating food, or inhaling contaminated air. People working or living near industries and facilities that manufacture and use chloroform, nickel, arsenic, or cadmium may be exposed to higher than background levels of these hazardous substances. Multiple pathways of exposure may exist for populations near hazardous waste sites. For example, high levels of chloroform (1,890 ppb) were found in well water near a waste site; high levels of cadmium exposure may exist for individuals living near cadmium-contaminated waste sites.

The inhalation toxicity of methanol and toluene was investigated in rats. Young Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes were exposed to vapors of methanol (300 ppm, 3000 ppm), toluene (30 ppm, 300 ppm) or methanol/toluene (300/30 ppm, 300/300 ppm, 3000/30 ppm, and 3000/300 ppm) six hrs per day, five days/week for four weeks. Control animals inhaled air only. Increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in males exposed to high-dose toluene, and decreased creatinine was noted in the group exposed to high-dose methanol/toluene. The thyroid gland in females appeared to be a target organ for inhaled methanol, toluene, and methanol/toluene, although the changes were confined to a mild, and occasionally moderate, reduction in follicle size. Histopathological changes of the nasal passages, consisting of subepithelial nonsuppurative inflammation, occurred in higher incidences in rats exposed to methanol/toluene than in those exposed to the individual vapors. Inhalation of methanol, toluene, or methanol/toluene produced no changes in liver weights, hepatic mixed-function oxidases, or serum aspartate transaminase activities, and onlly minimal changes in liver histopathology. The only liver changes were decreased liver weight and increased cytoplasmic density of the periportal areas in females exposed to high-dose methanol/toluene. These data indicated that exposure to methanol, toluene, or a mixture of both produced mild biochemical effects and histological changes in the thyroid and nasal passage. No apparent interactive effects were observed.