Ascorbic acid inhibits the squamous metaplasia that results from treatment of tracheal explants with asbestos or benzo[a]pyrene-coated asbestos.

ABSTRACT

Hamster tracheal explants were maintained in culture in the presence or absence of benzo[a]pyrene (BP), crocidolite asbestos, or BP-coated crocidolite. Dose-dependent squamous metaplasia was observed in the treated samples. L-Ascorbic acid and DL-alpha-tocopherol were able to partially protect the tracheal explants from the metaplastic response induced by crocidolite. Furthermore, ascorbic acid reduced the extent of metaplasia observed in hamster tracheal explants that were exposed to BP-crocidolite.