Abstract
Silica, a known toxin of mononuclear phagocytes, was administered intravenously to mice during Nocardia asteroides pneumonia. Mice that received silica had a sevenfold decrease in the number of peripheral blood monocytes and developed more severe N. asteroides pneumonia than control mice. Lung histology in mice that received silica resembled that of mice with impaired cell-mediated immunity. These results are most consisent with the explanation that silica injures blood monocytes and impaires their contributions to pulmonary host defense.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2507-2511 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Infection and immunity |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1988 |
