Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Inhalation toxicity of diborane in rats assessed by bronchoalveolar lavage examination

  • Original Investigation
  • Published:
Archives of Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Changes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood were examined to assess the toxic effects of diborane (B2H6, CAS: 19287-45-7) on the lung. Male Wistar rats were exposed to diborane at 20 ppm (intended concentration) for 4 h (phase I study) to evaluate time-course changes up to 14 days, and at 10 or 1 ppm (intended concentrations) to assess the dose-effect relationship after 3 days (phase II study). BALF parameters [leukocyte counts, α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total protein, phospholipids etc.] were examined and biochemical and histopathological studies were also carried out. In the phase I study, neutrophils (%) in BALF increased on the day of exposure and then decreased gradually for 3 days. Rapid and marked increases in α1-AT and SOD activity in BALF were detected on the day of exposure, and phospholipids had sharply increased on day 3. After 14 days, these parameters in the exposed rats had returned to their background level and α1-AT decreased significantly. In the phase II study, total protein, α1-AT activity and phospholipids in BALF showed dose-dependent increases, and serum α1-AT activity increased significantly. Alveolar capillary and alveolar cell damage were confirmed in rats exposed to 20 ppm, 10 ppm or 1 ppm diborane for 4 h by evaluating the parameters examined. The protection system appeared to start operating immediately after exposure, and the recovery mechanism seemed to start operating 1 day after exposure and cease by day 14. The no-observed-effect level could not be observed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chen SS-H, Kou AY (1982) High-performance liquid chromatography of methylated phospholipids. J Chromatogr 232: 237–249

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cordasco EM, Cooper RW, Murphy JV, Anderson C (1962) Pulmonary aspects of some toxic experimental space fuels. Dis Chest 41: 68–74

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz AA, Rubinstein HM, Teague PO, Rennert OM, Freier EF, Lieberman J, Franey RJ (1974) Measurement of alpha1-antitrypsin in serum, by immunodiffusion and by enzymatic assay. Clin Chem 20: 396–399

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • German Society for Clinical Chemistry (1972) Standard method for determination of alkaline phosphatase activity. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 10: s281-s291

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallman M, Spragg R, Harrell JH, Moser KM, Gluck L (1982) Evidence of lung surfactant abnormality in respiratory failure: study of bronchoalveolar lavage phospholipids, surface activity, phospholipase activity and plasma myoinositol. J Clin Invest 70: 673–683

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayem A (1982) Study of proteins in bronchoalveolar washings. Ann Biol Clin 40: 231–233

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson RF, Rebar AH, Pickrell LA, Newton GJ (1979) Early damage indicators in the lung. III. Biochemical and cytological response of the lung to inhaled metal salts. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 50: 123–136

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Homma H, Yamanaka A, Tanimoto S, Tamura M, Chijimatsu Y, Kira S, Izumi T (1983) Diffuse panbronchiolitis. A disease of the transitional zone of the lung. Chest 83: 63–69

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janoff A (1985a) Elastase and emphysema. Current assessment of protease-antiprotease hypothesis. Am Rev Respir Dis 132: 417–433

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janoff A (1985b) Elastase in tissue injury. Annu Rev Med 36: 207–216

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katagiri K, Ito K, Miyaji M, Takeuchi T, Yoshikane K, Sasaki M (1979) Succinyl trialanine p-nitroanilide-hydrolytic enzymes in human serum. An improved method for clinical diagnosis. Clin Chim Acta 95: 401–404

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawanami O, Ferrons VS, Crystal RG (1982) Structure of alveolar epithelial cells in patients with fibrotic lung disorders. Lab Invest 46: 39–53

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krackow EH (1953) Toxicity and health hazards of boron hydrides. Arch Ind Health 8: 335–339

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kunkel AM, Murtha EF, Oikemus AH, Stabile DE, Saunders JP, Wills JH (1956) Some pharmacologic effects of diborane. Arch Ind Health 13: 346–351

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liau DF, Barrett CR, Bell ALL, Ryan SF (1985) Normal surface properties of phosphatidylglycerol deficient surfactant from dogs after acute lung injury. I Lipid Res 26: 1338–1344

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linder J, Sisson JH (1994) Lung defenses. In: Dail DH, Hammar SP (eds) Pulmonary pathology. Springer, New York, pp 45–56

    Google Scholar 

  • McCord JM, Fridovich I (1968) The reduction of cytochrome c by milk xanthine oxidase. J Biol Chem 243: 5753–5760

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MDA Scientific (1993) Instrument accuracy and precision. Technical note No. 971131

  • Miller BE, Hook GER (1990) Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of alveolar type II cells in response to silica and other pulmonary toxicants. Environ Health Perspect 85: 15–23

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mornex JF, Chytil-Weir A, Martinet Y, Courtney M, LeCocq JP, Crystal RG (1986) Expression of the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene in mononuclear phagocytes of normal and alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficient individuals. J Clin Invest 77: 1952–1961

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nippon Sanso (1986) The resolution analysis of diborane. Technical report

  • Nomiyama T, Omae K, Uemura T, Nakashima H, Takebayashi T, Ishizuka C, Yamazaki K, Sakurai H (1995) No effect level of diborane on respiratory organs of male mice in acute and subacute inhalation experiment. J Occup Health 37: 157–160

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perlmutter DH, Travis J, Punsal PI (1988) Elastase regulates the synthesis of its inhibitor, α1-proteinase inhibitor, and exaggerates the defect in homozygous PiZZ α1-PI deficiency. J Clin Invest 81: 1774–1780

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards RJ, Curtis CG (1984) Biochemical and cellular mechanisms of dust-induced lung fibrosis. Environ Health Perspect 55: 393–416

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rooney SA (1985) The surfactant system and lung phospholipid biochemistry. Am Rev Respir Dis 131: 439–460

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan SF, Liau DF, Bell ALL, Hashim SA, Barrett CR (1981) Correlation of lung compliance and quantities of surfactant phospholipids after acute alveolar injury from N-nitroso-N-methylurethane in dog. Am Rev Respir Dis 123: 200–204

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sendelbach LE, Witschi HP (1987) Bronchoalveolar lavage in rats and mice following beryllium sulfate inhalation. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 90: 322–329

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thrall RS, Swendsen CL, Shannon TH, Kennedy CA, Frederick DS, Grunze MF, Sulavik SB (1987) Correlation of changes in pulmonary surfactant phospholipids with compliance in bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rats. Am Rev Respir Dis 136: 113–118

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uemura T, Omae K, Nakashima H, Sakurai H, Yamazaki K, Shibata T, Mori K, Kudo M, Kanoh H, Tati M (1995) Acute and subacute inhalation toxicity of diborane in male ICR mice. Arch Toxicol 69: 397–404

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang NS (1994) Anatomy. In: Dail DH, Hammar SP (eds) Pulmonary pathology. Springer, New York, pp 21–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Wroblewski F, LaDue JS (1955) Lactic dehydrogenase activity in blood. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 90: 210–213

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160, Tokyo, Japan

    Tetsuo Nomiyama

Authors
  1. Tetsuo Nomiyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nomiyama, T. Inhalation toxicity of diborane in rats assessed by bronchoalveolar lavage examination. Arch Toxicol 70, 43–50 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002040050247

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002040050247

Key words

Search

Navigation