IMMUNOTOXICITY OF SULFURIC-ACID AEROSOL - EFFECTS ON PULMONARY MACROPHAGE EFFECTOR AND FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES CRITICAL FOR MAINTAINING HOST-RESISTANCE AGAINST INFECTIOUS-DISEASES
Jt. Zelikoff et al., IMMUNOTOXICITY OF SULFURIC-ACID AEROSOL - EFFECTS ON PULMONARY MACROPHAGE EFFECTOR AND FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES CRITICAL FOR MAINTAINING HOST-RESISTANCE AGAINST INFECTIOUS-DISEASES, Toxicology, 92(1-3), 1994, pp. 269-286
Despite the widespread occurrence of acidic sulfur oxides in the ambie
nt environment and their potential risks to human health, effects asso
ciated with pulmonary immune defenses have been poorly studied. The cu
rrent in vivo study was designed to provide some insight into this rel
atively unexplored area by investigating the impact of inhaled sulfuri
c acid on immune defense mechanisms critical for maintaining pulmonary
resistance against infectious diseases. Results of this study demonst
rate that repeated inhalation of sulfuric acid reduces the uptake and
intracellular killing of pathogenic bacteria by exposed pulmonary macr
ophages, and depresses the activity/production of important biological
modifiers critical for maintaining pulmonary immunocompetence. These
findings have important implications for human health, and may contrib
ute to a better understanding of the possible mechanism(s) underlying
the epidemiological evidence which suggests an association between tot
al sulfates in the ambient air and increased incidence of acute bronch
itis and lower respiratory illness in school-age children.