Further studies on the adjuvant effect of silica on IgE antibody production in mice

Alterations of Fas and Fas-Related Molecules in Patients with Silicosis

Persons with silicosis have not only respiratory disorders but also autoimmune diseases. To clarify the mechanisms involved in the dysregulation of autoimmunity found in patients with silicosis, we have been focusing on Fas and Fas-related molecules in the Fas-mediated apoptotic pathway, because Fas is one of the most important molecules regulating autoimmunity involving T cells. Our findings showed that patients with silicosis exhibited elevated serum soluble Fas levels, an increased relative expression of the soluble fas and dcr3 genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, high levels of other variant messages of the fas transcript, relatively decreased expression of genes encoding several physiological inhibitors (such as survivin and toso), and dominancy of lower-membrane Fas expressers in lymphocytes, which transcribe soluble fas dominantly, compared with soluble fas transcription in healthy donors. These findings are consistent with known features regarding immunological factors, such as serum immunogulobulin G levels and the titer of anti-nuclear autoantibodies in silicosis. In addition, anti-caspase 8 autoantibody and anti-Fas autoantibody were detected in serum specimens from patients with silicosis, and a functional assay showed that anti-Fas antibody stimulated Fas-mediated apoptosis. We hypothesize that there are two subpopulations of silicosis lymphocytes. One is a long-term surviving fraction that includes self-recognizing clones showing lower levels of membrane Fas and inhibition of Fas/Fas ligand binding in extracellular spaces. The other subpopulation exhibits apoptosis caused by silica and silicates, is recruited from bone marrow, shows higher levels of membrane Fas, and is sensitive to anti-Fas autoantibody. Further investigation should be performed to confirm the effects of silica and silicates on the human immune system.

Silicone gel and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) enhances antibody production to bovine serum albumin in mice

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether components of silicone breast implants [silicon (polydimethylsiloxane) oil, silicone gel, and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4)] potentiate the antibody response to bovine serum albumin (BSA) in mice. Seventy A/J mice were divided into seven groups which received the following: group I--phosphate buffer solution (PBS); group II--20 centistoke (cs) silicone oil; group III--50% silicone gel homogenized in silicone oil; group IV--incomplete Freunds' adjuvant (IFA); group V--IFA mixed with an equal volume of silicone oil; group VI--D4; and group VII--IFA mixed with an equal volume of DA. Each 0.1 mL of treatment material(s) was mixed or emulsified with an equal 0.1-mL volume of 250 micrograms/mL BSA in PBS solution. Antibodies to BSA were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our study demonstrates for the first time that both D4 and the silicone gel potentiate antibody production to BSA in mice. Histopathologic evaluation of the injection sites reveals granulomas for mice injected with IFA and D4 preparations. Whether D4 or silicone gel acts as an adjuvant against self-antigens has yet to be determined.

Regulation of tumor development: the biphasic effects of silica and of lipopolysaccharide on natural resistance

The impact on tumor development of the BRM silica and LPS was assessed through analysis of changes in NR parameters in vivo and in vitro. Although injection of the fumed silica Cab-o-sil 3 days before a threshold s.c. inoculum of L5178Y-F9 cells increased the tumor frequency in syngeneic DBA/2 mice, tumors recovered from silica-treated animals exhibited an augmented resistance to NAb and to in vivo NR. Cab-o-sil increased in vivo NR and induced a biphasic modulation of anti-tumor NAb and NK activities. The appearance of more autonomous tumors in Cab-o-sil-treated mice corresponding with a stimulation of NR parameters, suggests that the adjuvant activity of silica also contributes to its co-carcinogenic effect by accelerating tumor development. While injection of LPS 2-3 days before a threshold tumor inoculum lowered the tumor incidence, the survival of tumor cells injected within 1 day of LPS was increased. A corresponding early decrease in NAb activity occurred, in contrast with increases in NK cell and NAb levels previously observed after 5 days. This biphasic effect of LPS on NR effectors assayed in vitro was also seen on in vivo NR. Although their frequency was higher, tumors initiated during the period of LPS-induced NR abrogation exhibited greater reductions in NAb binding and sensitivity to NR than tumors from control mice. These data extend the support for NAb acting against tumor cells in vivo and reveal the dual nature of NR in tumor development, defending against small tumor foci and driving the progression of the surviving neoplasm.