Inhalation of Uranium Oxide Aerosols: CNS Deposition, Neurotoxicity, and Role in Gulf War Illness
Abstract
This project is investigating the potential for inhaled uranium oxide aerosols to penetrate the nose-brain barrier, directly enter the central nervous system (CNS), diffusely distribute within the CNS, and result in slowly developing neurotoxic responses. The first year of the project has focused on generating aerosols representative of exposure concentrations and particle sizes that reflect exposure atmospheres potentially encountered in very short-term exposures likely in the Gulf War. The research team has successfully generated aerosols of tantalum oxide, uranium di- and tri-oxides alone and in combination, and of depleted uranium. For each of these aerosols, a group of rats was exposed to atmospheres of approximately 500 mg/m3 for 15 minutes. These exposures were done in normal animals and in animals with nasal inflammation. Controls with and without inflammation were exposed to clean, filtered air. Data have only begun to be analyzed. Although no tantalum or uranium was observed in brain tissue two hours following exposure to any of the metals, preliminary data suggest an increase of glial fibrillary acidic protein, a marker for astroglia, was observed in the olfactory bulbs of animals exposed to the most soluble of the compounds, uranium trioxide. Although data are very preliminary, a increasing trend corresponding to solubility of compounds is suggested. Glial activation is generally considered in these acute reactions as a protective response to an insult in the surrounding neurons.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA410352
Entities
People
- Fletcher F. Hahn
- Graham Bench
- Johnnye L. Lewis
Organizations
- University of New Mexico