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Butadiene inhalation accelerates arteriosclerotic plaque development in cockerels
1Nelson Institute-NYU Medical Center, Tuxedo 10987, USA.
Toxicology
|October 28, 1996
Summary
1,3-Butadiene (BD) exposure significantly increased arteriosclerosis plaque size in cockerels, suggesting it contributes to heart disease risk. This finding supports the recent reduction in the BD threshold limit value for worker safety.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Environmental Health
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- 1,3-Butadiene (BD) is an industrial chemical found in vehicle exhaust and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
- While BD is linked to cancer, studies suggest a connection to arteriosclerotic heart disease, particularly in exposed workers.
- ETS exposure accelerates arteriosclerosis in cockerels, but the tar fraction is ineffective, implicating the vapor phase.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether 1,3-Butadiene (BD) accelerates arteriosclerosis development in a cockerel model.
- To determine if BD contributes to the atherogenic effects observed with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
Main Methods:
- Cockerels were exposed to 20 ppm of 1,3-Butadiene (BD) or filtered air for 6 hours daily over 80 days.
- Arteriosclerosis development was assessed via blinded measurements of plaque frequency, location, and size.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in plaque frequency or location between BD-exposed and control groups.
- Plaque size was significantly larger in cockerels exposed to BD compared to controls.
- These results mirrored previous findings for ETS-exposed cockerels.
Conclusions:
- 1,3-Butadiene (BD) significantly exacerbates arteriosclerosis in cockerels, indicated by increased plaque size.
- BD may be a contributing factor to the atherogenicity of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
- Experimental findings provide support for the reduced threshold limit value (TLV) for BD.