Immune adherence reactivity of rat alveolar macrophages following inhalation of crocidolite asbestos.

The immune adherence phenomenon was used to demonstrate the in vivo deposition of complement on membranes of alveolar macrophages from rats chronically exposed to crocidolite asbestos dust. Pre-treatment of macrophage cualtures with anti-C3 antiserum greatly diminished the level of immune adherence reactivity. Alveolar macrophages exposed to crocidolite asbestos in vitro did not exhibit significant levels of immune adherence reactivity. These results may reflect an in-vivo antigen-antibody-complement interaction on the surface of a alveolar macrophages from animals which have inhaled asbestos dust.