Summary
A study of the pulmonary alveolar surface forces in silicotic lungs (rats and hamsters) was performed. The following two techniques were used: a) the endobronchial lavage by means of isotonic saline solution and measurement of the surface tension of the latter; b) inflation and deflation of the lungs by their gradual filling and emptying with air and isotonic saline solution and recording the pressure volume curves.
Both procedures revealed a decrease in the production of the surfactant in experimental silicosis.
In order to obtain more data concerning the composition of the surfactant the extraction of the lipids from the lung washings was performed (alveolar lipids), followed by the separation of the lipids into fractions (thin layer chromatography). Similar analyses have been performed on the pulmonary parenchyma (whole lung lipids).
The results obtained releaved that in silicosis modifications appear in the composition of both the pulmonary and alveolar lipids. The prevalence of the fatty acids with short carbon chains are the main characteristics of these modifications which could be associated with the surfactant deficiency.
Résumé
Les forces de surface alvéolaire des poumons silicosés (rats et hamsters) ont été étudiées par deux procédés: a) technique de lavage endoalvéolaire avec une solution salée physiologique et mesure de la tension superficielle du liquide de lavage; b) technique de remplissage — vidange des poumons avec des volumes croissants et décroissants d'air et de liquide (solution salée physiologique) et construction des courbes pression-volume (hystéresis pulmonaire).
Les deux procédés ont mis en évidence une diminution de la production de surfactif dans la silicose expérimentale.
Afin d'obtenir des relations sur la composition chimique du surfactant, on a eu recours à l'extraction des lipides à partir du liquide de lavage endo-alvéolaire, suivie de la séparation de celle-ci en fractions au moyen de la chromatographie en couche mince. Des essais similaires furent égalment effectués sur le parenchyme pulmonaire.
Les résultats obtenus ont révéle l'apparition, dans la silicose, de modifications dans la composition des lipides pulmonaires, de mÊme que des lipides „alvéolaires“. Ces modifications sunt caractériséss en premier lieu par l'augmentation quantitative des lipides et par la prédominance des acides gras à chaÎne courte d'atomes de carbone; elles pourraient Être mises en relation avec l'altération du surfactif alvéolaire constatée dans la silicose.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Bibliographie
Allegra, L., Monastero, A., Gioia, V.: Prospettive di ricerca sul compartamento della tensione di superficie endoalveolare in sequito ad aerosolizzazione di sostanze farmacologhice. Minerva med. 58, 98, 4392–4400 (1967).
Bondurant, S., Miller, D. A.: A method for producing surface active extracts from mammalian lung. J. appl. Physiol. 17, 167 (1962).
Brown, E. S.: Assay of surface active material from emphysematous lungs. Med. Thorac. 22, 70–76 (1965).
Buckingham, S., Heinemann, H. O., Sommers, S. C., McNary, W. F.: Phospholipid synthesis in the large pulmonary alveolar cell. Amer. J. Path. 48, 1027–1040 (1966).
Clements, J. A., Nellenbogen, J., Trahan, J. H.: Pulmonary surfactant and evolution of the lung. Science 169, 603–604 (1970).
Daddi, G., Cornia, G.: L'induito stratifice sulle pareti alveolari e le forze elastiche del polmone. Minerva med. 58, 102, 4712–4720 (1967).
— —: Les forces de surface alvéolaires et variations expérimentales de l'èlasticité et de l'extensibilité du poumon. Poumon 25, 485–491 (1969).
Gross, P., Phitzer, E. A., Hatch, T. F.: Alveolar clearance; its relation to lesions of the respiratory bronchiole. Amer. Rev. resp. Dis. 94, 10–19 (1966).
Harlan, W. R., Margraf, J. H., Said, S. I.: Pulmonary lipid composition of species with and without surfactant. Amer. J. Physiol. 211, 855–861 (1966).
Heinemann, H. O.: Surfactant of the lung. Advances in internal medicine, Ed. I. Snappers M. D., vol. XIV. Year Book Medical Publishers, p. 83–105, 1968.
Klaus, M., Reiss, O. K., Tooley, W. H., Piel, C., Clements, J. A.: Alveolar epithelial cell mitochondria as source of the surface — active lung lining. Science 137, 750–751 (1962).
Macklin, C. C.: The pulmonary alveolar mucoid film and pneumocytes. Lancet 1954 II, 266, 1099–1104.
Mendenhall, R.M.: Pulmonary mechanics. Arch. environm. Hlth 6, 74–79 (1963).
Morgan, T. E., Finley, T. N., Fialkow, H.: Comparison of the composition and surface activity of “alveolar” and whole lung lipids in dog. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 106, 403–413 (1965).
Pattle, R. E.: Surface lining of alveoli. Physiol. Res. 45, 48–79 (1965).
—: Lung surfactant and its possible reaction to air pollution. Arch. environm. Hlth 14, 70–75 (1967).
Radford, E. P., Jr.: Mechanical stability of the lung. Arch. environm. Hlth 6, 128–133 (1963).
Rosenberg, E., Alarie, Y., Robillard, E.: Effect of dust and aerosol inhalation on surface and tissue elasticity of rat lungs. Canad. J. Biochem. 40, 1359–1365 (1962).
Said, I., Harlan, W. R., Burke, G. W., Elliot, C. M.: Surface tension, metabolic activity, and lipid composition of alveolar cells in washings from normal dog lungs and after pulmonary artery ligation. J. clin. Invest. 47, 336–343 (1968).
Watkins, J. C.: The surface properties of pure phospholipids in relation to those of lung extract. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 152, 293–306 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gabor, S., Frits, T., Böhm, B. et al. Les forces de surface alvéolaire et la composition du surfactif pulmonaire dans la silicose expérimentale. Int. Arch. Arbeitsmed 28, 312–320 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00539607
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00539607