Arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin synthesis in a macrophage-like cell line exposed to asbestos.

A macrophage-like cell line (P388D1) has been treated with asbestos and the release of arachidonic acid and its metabolites has been studied using two methods. In the first monolayer cultures of the cells were labelled with tritiated arachidonic acid and the release of label into the medium was quantified: secondly the synthesis and release of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha were followed using radioimmune assay. Crocidolite asbestos caused the greatest release of tritium while the medium from chrysotile-treated cultures contained more of both prostaglandins. Both of the fibrous dusts were significantly more active in both test systems than were the two 'inert' materials--titanium dioxide and milled sample of crocidolite. It is suggested that these phenomena are due to the effect of mineral dusts on phospholipase activity and that differences in this activity are associated with differences in the pathogenicity of various mineral dusts.