Interstitial Lung disease (ILD), produces disruption of alveolar walls with loss of functionality and accumulation of scar tissue. Asbestosis and silicosis are the ILD produced by the inhalation of asbestos fibers or silica particles respectively. An increase in prostacyclin release after exposing endothelial cells to asbestos has been reported. This study attempts to elucidate the role of lung epithelial cells in the generation of asbestos induced ILD. A cell model to study crocidolite-induced toxicity was developed using LA-4 cells, previously characterized as alveolar type II cells. LA-4 cells when exposed to crocidolite had a decrease in viability and an increase in the release of LDH and 6-keto PGF1α, a prostacyclin metabolite. Prostacyclin release was Cox 2 and vitronectin receptor (VNR) mediated. Coating crocidolite asbestos with vitronectin enhances its internalization via VNR, ...

Due to the risk of HIV infection, a rectal microbicide (RM) is needed as a prophylactic. This clinical study evaluated the pharmacokinetics luminal and pharmacodynamics of four candidate formulations as MR vehicles. Eight men participated in this randomized, partially blinded comparative study. Formulations aqueous fluid (AF), aqueous gel (AG), lipid fluid (LF) and lipid gel (LG), were mixed with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid labeled with Technetium-99m and administered intrarectically. One hour later, colon biopsies and brushings were obtained using sigmoidoscopy. SPEC/CT images were obtained at 2, 4, and 24 hours. Colonic distribution was described using concentration-distance (Dmax) parameters. Colonic histology did not find differences in epithelial denudation. Luminal concentrations of AG and LF and tissue concentrations of LF showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) compared to ...