CONTROLLED SHORT-TIME TERPENE EXPOSURE INDUCES AN INCREASE OF THE MACROPHAGES AND THE MAST-CELLS IN BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE FLUID

Eight healthy nonsmoking volunteers underwent terpene exposure (450 mg /m3 air) on 4 different occasions within a 2 week period. Total exposu re time was 12 hours. Before and after the sequences of exposure, bron choalveolar lavage was performed. Twenty hours after the exposure ther e was a significant (p < 0.05) increase of the alveolar cell concentra tion (median pre-exposure value 76 X 10(6) cells/L, post-exposure valu e 126 x 10(6) cells/L), predominantly due to an increment of the macro phages (from 72 x 10(6) cells/L to 121 x 10(6) cells/L). The mast cell s also increased from 1/10 to 5110 visual fields. No elevated concentr ations of albumin, fibronectin, hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid), and tryp tase were observed. We conclude that terpene exposure, in a concentrat ion regarded as moderate, induces an acute alveolar cellular reaction in healthy subjects.