Interaction uranium-cellule cible : exemple de la transformation de particules d'UO₄ dans le macrophage alvéolaire

Interactions between uranium and target cells: Example of UO₄ particle transformation within alveolar macrophages

¹ Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Département de la santé de l'Homme et de Dosimétrie, Service de Dosimétrie, IPSN - BP 38 - F-26701 Pierrelatte Cedex, France.
² CNRS, Université de Paris XI, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, F-91405 Orsay Cedex

Résumé

Interactions between uranium and target cells: Example of UO₄ particle transformation within alveolar macrophages. Interactions between uranium and target cells: examples of UO₄ particle transformation within alveolar macrophages. 
The understanding of the mechanisms involved in the in vivo dissolution of inhaled particles is necessary to improve the model for determining the parameters. With that perspective, the intracellular transformation of UO₄ particles has been investigated. Indeed, very few is known about this compound encountered in the nuclear fuel cycle. After instillation of UO₄ particles in rats, alveolar macrophages and lung tissues have been observed. The particles break up very quickly in ultrafine particles and in some cases, this mechanism is accompanied by the formation of uranyl phosphate needles. This phenomenon takes place at very early stage, i.e., within the first 24 hours after the instillation. Particles phagocytised by macrophages in vitro have been observed after inclusion of the cells directly on the culture dish. These observations have confirmed the corrosive action exerted by the macrophages on the UO₄ particles.