Aggregation of fibronectin by asbestos fibers in the pericellular matrix of cultured human fibroblasts.

Abstract

Asbestos fibers, silica dust and glass fibers induced aggregation of the pericellular matrix fibronectin when added to the growth medium of cultured human fibroblasts as judged by immunofluorescence microscopy. Direct binding experiments and analysis of the bound proteins by (SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) revealed an adsorption of purified plasma fibronectin to glass fibers, amosite, crocidolite and silica but not to anthophyllite and chrysotile A and B. The results suggest that aggregation of the pericellular fibronectin by these fibrogenic materials may be involved in the initial stages of the development of fibrosis in vivo.