Increased immunoreactivity of glutathione-S-transferase in the retina of Swiss Webster mice following inhalation of JP8+100 aerosol

The current study was designed to determine whether exposure of mice to aer osolized jet fuel (JP8 + 100) resulted in changes in the cellular distribut ion or immunoreactivity of the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), a bi omarker of toxicant exposure. Male mice were exposed to JP8 + 100 at 1000 m g/m(3) 2500 mg/m(3) in aerosol for 1 h per day for 7 days and then sacrific ed. The retinas were studied by immunohistochemical methods. The JP8 + 100 exposure caused a marked increase in the immunoreactivity of anti-GSTM anti bodies with the radial glial cells of the retina, the Muller cells. These r esults are consistent with the hypothesis that JP8 + 100 acts as a toxicant to mouse retina by permitting the flux of materials across the blood-retin a barrier. The findings are relevant to humans because recent studies indic ate that Air Force personnel assigned to clean and maintain fuel pods may b e exposed to concentrations of JP8 + 100 exceeding 1000 mg/m(3).