Mechanisms of particle-induced activation of alveolar macrophages

Bovine alveolar macrophages were exposed in vitro to quartz dusts, metal-containing dusts or silica particles coated with a single metal oxide. The release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) was measured in short-term incubations (90 min). The secretion of both ROI was markedly enhanced by silica particles coated with vanadium oxide and lowered by copper oxide-coated particles. The particle-induced ROI release was significantly decreased by the inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) as well as phospholipase A2, suggesting the involvement of both enzymes in the NADPH oxidase activation. Quartz dusts induced a transient increase of free cytosolic calcium ion concentration, slight intracellular acidification, and depolarization of the plasma membrane. In the presence of EGTA or verapamil the rise of [Ca2+]i was diminished, suggesting an influx of extracellular calcium ions. The PKC inhibitor GF 109203X did not inhibit the quartz-induced calcium rise, while both the cytosolic acidification and depolarization were prevented. BSA-coating of the quartz particles abolished the calcium influx as well as the decrease of pHi, and possibly hyperpolarized the plasma membrane.