WIT Press


In Vitro Toxicity Of Indoor Fungi From Dwellings In Slovakia: Testing On The Isolated Lung Cells

Price

Free (open access)

Volume

110

Pages

8

Page Range

211 - 218

Published

2008

Size

582 kb

Paper DOI

10.2495/ETOX080221

Copyright

WIT Press

Author(s)

Z. Kováčiková, E. Tátrai, E. Piecková, Z. Kolláriková, V. Jančinová, J. Tulinská, M. Kuricová & A. Líšková

Abstract

The lung is the target organ of multiple aggressions due to environmental noxious substances, indoor pollution, occupational hazards and personal risk such as cigarette smoke. Metabolites produced by different fungus species can also be present the inhaled air. Their effects are not frequently studied in the lung or in the lung cells. Our study focused on the effects of metabolites (both exo- and endometabolites) produced by Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum and Stachybotrys chartarum isolated from dwellings in Slovakia. Their effects were studied in vitro on alveolar macrophages and epithelial type II cells isolated from Wistar rats and Clara cells isolated from mice. Alveolar macrophages represent a free living population in the alveolar spaces and play an important role in maintaining clean and sterile alveoli; they contribute also to the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Epithelial type II cells play a critical role in preserving the functional integrity of the alveolar surface and they also produce cytokines. The effects of metabolites were evaluated by estimating their cytotoxicity, the activity of lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase in alveolar macrophages. Lectins were used for studying the changes on cell surface. The production of cytokines (Monocyte Chemoatractant Protein 1- MCP-1 and Tumor Necrosis Factor α – TNF-α) was also measured. The effects of metabolites were dose dependent, the highest toxicity was evoked by Stachybotrys chartarum metabolites. Keywords: indoor fungi, lung cells, metabolites, in vitro.

Keywords

indoor fungi, lung cells, metabolites, in vitro.