Liposomes in silicosis investigations.

The effects of quartz and sodium metasilicate on liposomes were studied in order to understand the mechanism of silicosis. 8-Hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid was tested for its in situ silicosis-prevention capacity. Two types of liposomes--(A) those incorporating cholesterol and (B) those without cholesterol--were used. The tests consisted of measuring permeability changes caused by the above-mentioned chemicals. Permeabilities were found to depend on membrane composition. Tests on quartz action led us to the conclusion that liposomes of this composition did not simulate the erythrocytes very well. It was also observed that absence or presence of cholesterol and the mode of contact altered the effect of quartz. Silicate destabilized type A liposomes, but this was less than that caused by quartz. This was explained by the concentration of monosilicic acid that dissolves out from quartz and silicate. When quartz was pretreated with the preventive, the type A liposomes were stabilized, but a slight destabilizing effect was observed on type B. 8-Hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid augmented the destabilizing effect of silicate, whereas it decreased the hemolytic activity of uncoated quartz, indicating a preventive potential in in vivo.