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Table 1 Effects of particle size on the ability of cultured phagocytes to process and release IL-1β

From: The complex cascade of cellular events governing inflammasome activation and IL-1β processing in response to inhaled particles

Size

Chemical composition (doses)

Primary size (nm)

Hydrodynamic diameter (nm)

IL-1β release

Identified mechanisms

Cell type

Reference

Amorphous silica (100–1000 μg/ml)

20

295

++++

Lysosomal acidification and cathepsin B activity

Macrophages

[97]

67

91

+++

Lysosomal acidification and cathepsin B activity

  

369

531

++

N.a.

  

500 - 10000

342 - 5560

+

Lysosomal acidification and cathepsin B activity

  

30

/

++++

Actin-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal acidification

Macrophages

[82]

100

/

+++

Actin-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal acidification

  

300

/

+++

Actin-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal acidification

  

1000

/

+++

Actin-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal acidification

  

3000

/

++

Actin-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal acidification

  

10000

/

+/−

Lysosomal acidification

  

Carbon black (62–687 μg/ml)

53,7

235

++

N.a.

Monocytes

[165]

525

636

+

N.a.

  

14

/

++

N.a.

Monocytes

[166]

260

/

-

N.a.

  

Silver (0.15 – 0.9 μg/ml)

5

/

++

Potassium efflux and oxydative stress

Monocytes

[116]

28

/

+

Potassium efflux and oxydative stress

  

100

/

-

N.a.

  

Polystyrene (120 – 3000 μg/ml)

1000

/

++++

N.a.

Dendritic cells

[36]

430

/

+++

Actin-mediated endocytosis, lysosomal acidification cathepsin B activity and potassium efflux

  

10 000

/

++

N.a.

  

32 000

/

+

N.a.

  
  1. The smallest and fiber- or needle-like particles are particularly active to induce IL-1β release. Surface area properties and reactivity also govern inflammasome/IL-1β activation. Physical or chemical treatments aiming to reduce surface reactivity can control inflammogenicity of particles
  2. N.a. not assessed, N.r. not relevant