In Vitro Studies on the Cytotoxic Action of Different Varieties of Asbestos Dust on Macrophages

The cytotoxic action of a variety of asbestos dusts viz. chrysotile, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actionlite was tested in vitro using alveolar and peritoneal macrophage cell cultures. The release of acid phosphatase and the uptake of the dye erythrosin B were taken as parameters of cytotoxicity. Among the several varieties of asbestos tested for this purpose, chysotile proved to be most cytotoxic for both the alveolar and peritoneal macrophages, although the former were more sensitive. Amosite was only slightly toxic for alveolar macrophages. Anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite behaved as control inert dusts. Carboxymethylcellulose exhibited an anticytotoxic effect when chrysotile was pretreated with the polymer or when the dust cell interaction was allowed to take place in its presence.