Strain differences in pleural mesothelial cell reactions induced by potassium octatitanate fibers (TISMO) infused directly into the thoracic cavity

Although we have previously reported that the fiber-shaped TISMO, morphologically similar to asbestos, can induce a severe mesothelial reaction in A/J mice, it is important to clarify any strain differences. In the present study, female A/J, C3H/HeN, ICR and C57BL/6 mice were therefore employed as test strains. At the beginning of the experiment, all mice underwent a left thoracotomy and direct administration of 3 mg of TISMO particles suspended in 0.2 ml saline into the left thorax. The experiment was terminated after 21 weeks and all groups were sacrificed and the mesothelium and main organs were examined histopathologically. To contribute to mechanistic analysis, iron staining with Berlin blue and Turnbull's blue, and immunostaining for calretinin were also performed. The present experiment demonstrated only minor strain differences in the degree of pleural reaction to TISMO. However, there was clear variation in the iron and lymphocyte accumulation in the pleura and in the liver. This difference in response to TISMO fibers in vivo is important information when considering the development of mesothelioma as an animal model and the extrapolation to human risk from such animal studies.