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Carcinogenicity of Nickel Subsulfide for Respiratory Tract Mucosa¹

Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 [T. Y., P. N.], and Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba 280, [T. Y.] Japan

The carcinogenicity of nickel subsulfide, Ni₃S₂, for respiratory tract epithelium was studied in heterotopic tracheal transplants with doses of 1 and 3 mg Ni₃S₂ per trachea. Chemical determinations indicated that Ni₃S₂ persisted in the tracheas for seven to nine months. Ni₃S₂ showed marked toxicity for mucociliary epithelium, resulting in widespread atrophy and focal epithelial necrosis during the first two months of exposure. The submucosa showed mononuclear infiltration and signs of fibroblastic and capillary proliferation.

Tumor studies indicated that Ni₃S₂ can induce carcinomas in tracheal epithelium. The carcinoma incidence was 10% at 1 mg and approximately 1.5% at 3 mg. The higher dose produced a 67% incidence of fibro- and myosarcomas. The data suggest that, compared to some carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons, Ni₃S₂ may not be a strong carcinogen for the epithelium of conducting airways. The data are discussed in light of other experimental studies and of epidemiological findings on respiratory tract cancers in nickel workers.

¹ Research sponsored jointly by the National Cancer Institute under Interagency Agreement 40-5-63 and by the Division of Biological and Environmental Research, U. S. Department of Energy, under contract W-7405-eng-26 with the Union Carbide Corporation.

² Present address: Department of Surgery, Institute of Pulmonary Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 280, Japan.

³ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box Y, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 37830.

Received 5/11/78. Accepted 6/20/78.