EFFECT OF THE QUARTZ PARTICLES ON SOME CELLULAR METABOLISM

Abstract

Some changes of metabolic activities of monocytes by phagocytosing alkaline-treated or ground quartz were studied. In the experimental condition in which the TTC reducing capacity of monocytes with alkaline-treated quartz was inhibited by 50 % to control, the acid-soluble nucleotide in monocytes decreased by 40 % to control. In the lactic acid production, the succinoxidase activity and DPNH-tetrazolium reducing capacity were unaf-fected in this condition, but they dropped with further increase of dust dose, and the lactic acid production was least effected by dusts among these cellular activities. The decrease of lactic acid production was not observed until the amounts of acid-soluble nucleotide in the monocytes with alkaline-treated quartz dropped below 30 % of control.
From above results it was assumed that the first step of the toxic action of alkaline-treated quartz on monocytes was not an attack to respiratory and glycolytic systems of monocytes.