Excess iron promotes emergence of foamy macrophages that overexpress ferritin in the lungs of silicosis patients.

Background And Objective: Inhalation of high concentrations of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can lead to silicosis. RCS contains varying levels of iron, which can cause oxidative stress and stimulate ferritin production. This study evaluated iron-related and inflammatory markers in control and silicosis patients.