SUPEROXIDE ANION PRODUCTION IN RESPONSE TO BACTERIAL LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE AND FUNGAL SPORES IMPLICATED IN ORGANIC DUST TOXIC SYNDROME

High amounts of fungal spores, bacteria, and bacterial endotoxin have been found in dust associated with the poorly characterized syndrome, organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS). As part of an ongoing investigatio n to determine the etiopathogenesis for ODTS, this study has focused o n activation of guinea pig bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL) cells as ev idenced by the production of superoxide anion in response to fungal sp ores and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Fungal spores from Aspergillus cand idus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, E urotima amstelodami, Penicillium spinulosum, and Cladosporium cladospo rioides were all shown to increase superoxide anion production, each w ith different potencies. LPS stimulated little superoxide anion produc tion in BAL cells, but when cells were pretreated with LPS prior to st imulation with fungal spores, superoxide anion production was increase d over that induced by either spores or LPS alone. These results sugge st that the inhalation of LPS together with fungal spores could possib ly provoke abnormal lung pathologies. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.