EFFECT OF CHRONIC TOBACCO-SMOKE EXPOSURE ON THE FUNCTION OF ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES IN MICE

We evaluated the effect of chronic tobacco smoke exposure on the funct ion of the alveolar macrophage (AM) in mice. Tumor necrosis factor-a p roduction of the AM triggered by lipopolysaccharides was smaller in sm oke-exposed mice as compared to control mice but did not reach statist ical significance (27.3 +/- 4.0 vs. 34.8 +/- 4.9 U/ml). The percentage of AM which did not phagocytize latex particles in the smoke-exposed mice was significantly larger than that in control mice (33.9 +/- 2.3 vs. 20.8 +/- 2.1%; p < 0.05). Ia antigen expression of the AM was sign ificantly larger in smoke-exposed mice (cytotoxicity index: 0.180 +/- 0.033 vs. 0.038 +/- 0.0118; p < 0.01). The asialo-GM1 antigen expressi on was similar in both groups (0.949 +/- 0.007 vs. 0.961 +/- 0.011). A lthough the precise mechanisms of these functional changes of the AM b y tobacco smoke exposure are not clear, they may have some immunologic al effects on the alveolar space.