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A new in vitro cellular system for the analysis of mineral fiber biopersistence

  • Inorganic Compounds
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Abstract

The toxicity of mineral fibers, whether they are natural or man made (MMMF), is usually evaluated in vivo using biopersistence tests in rodents. Development of an in vitro cellular model would be worthwhile in order to reduce, refine and finally replace animal models. For this purpose, we developed an in vitro assay using human monocytic cell line (U-937) to evaluate a new manufactured rock wool fiber (HDN) biodegradation. Experiments on earlier known mineral fibers asbestos (crocidolite) and glass wool fibers (CM44) were also performed. U-937 responded to HDN and CM44 only if they were activated. Among the different activators we used, Escherichia coli living cells as well as FS were the most efficient as evidenced by alterations of HDN and CM44 surface, detected by scanning electron microscopy, and by the measure of silicon released from the rock wool fibers. Asbestos fibers were not degraded when incubated in the presence of living bacteria. The MMMF modifications were function of the fiber composition, the time of exposure to activated cells and the concentration of activators. The pattern of MMMF degradation by our in vitro system was in accordance with those observed in an in vivo study, thus indicating that the fiber degradation by macrophage cells activated by E. coli living cells as well as FS is a valuable system to assess mineral fibers’ biopersistence.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the “Service de Microanalyses” of “Saint-Gobain Recherche” for SEM observations, Dr. B. Bellmann for plasma ashing procedure, and M. C. Bottin and J. C. Micillino for advices and help. We thank also Dr. M. Zaiou for critical reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Bactériologie Virologie, Faculté de Médecine, Nancy-University, 9 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, BP 184, 54505, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Hermine Dika Nguea & Alain Le Faou

  2. Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU Nancy Brabois, rue du Morvan, 54501, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France

    Hermine Dika Nguea & Alain Le Faou

  3. Saint Gobain Insulation, Les Miroirs, 92400, Courbevoie, France

    Aymon de Reydellet

  4. Saint-Gobain Recherche, 39 quai Lucien Lefranc, 93300, Aubervilliers, France

    Patrice Lehuédé & Alain de Méringo

  5. Faculté de Pharmacie, Nancy-University, 5 rue Albert Lebrun, BP 403, 54001, Nancy Cedex, France

    Anne Robé & Bertrand H. Rihn

Authors
  1. Hermine Dika Nguea
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  2. Aymon de Reydellet
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  3. Patrice Lehuédé
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  4. Alain de Méringo
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  5. Anne Robé
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  6. Alain Le Faou
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  7. Bertrand H. Rihn
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Correspondence to Bertrand H. Rihn.

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Dika Nguea, H., de Reydellet, A., Lehuédé, P. et al. A new in vitro cellular system for the analysis of mineral fiber biopersistence. Arch Toxicol 82, 435–443 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-007-0257-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-007-0257-7

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