AN ACELLULAR AND IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-INDUCED REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES USING 3'-(P-AMINOPHENYL) FLUORESCEIN AND LUNG EPITHELIAL CELLS

Though much is known about the health effects of certain earth materials, such as quartz, asbestos, and coal, the realm of environmental toxicity still remains largely unexplored. In this study, the role of environmentally-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) as important bio-markers of toxicity is investigated. ROS are generated by macrophages and neutrophils in response to foreign substances that have been phagocytosed. However, while ROS can be very helpful in destroying foreigners in the body, they can also damage the environment (tissues, cells, etc) in which they were produced. We have developed the use of a fluorogenic probe 3'-(p-Aminophenyl) fluorescein (APF) to evaluate mineral-induced ROS acellularly in combination with the development of in vitro systems to evaluate mineral-induced human cell response. The acellular and cellular assay data are combined with the mineralogical composition and chemical composition data of these earth materials to evaluate whether these mineral characteristics are a factor in ROS formation. Ultimately this may provide a better understanding of the role of earth materials in the development of diseases.