Fumio Taki

Platelet-activating factor in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome.

1. To clarify the role of platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we performed bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in 19 patients with ARDS and examined cell populations, albumin concentrations and PAF levels. PAF levels were measured by a newly developed radioimmunoassay.

Neutrophil-derived epoxide, 9,10-epoxy-12-octadecenoate, induces pulmonary edema.

We have observed that neutrophils biosynthesize linoleate epoxide, 9,10-epoxy-12-octadecenoate, and have named it leukotoxin because of its cytotoxic effect. In this experiment, the effect of leukotoxin on the lung was investigated. Acute effect of leukotoxin: Using Wistar rats, leukotoxin (100µmol/kg) was injected intravenously for the leukotoxin group, and linoleate (100µmol/kg) for the linoleate group. Physiological saline was injected as the control. Ten min after injection, rats were divided into 3 groups: (1) lungs were isolated, and lung wet weight, and dry weight were measured; (2) lung lavages were performed, and albumin concentration and activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were measured; (3) morphological changes were studied by light and electron microscope. After administration of leukotoxin, lung wet weight/body weight ratios and dry weight/wet weight ratios were increased. Albumin concentration and ACE activity in lung lavages were also increased. Pulmonary edema was also confirmed by light microscopic findings. Alveolar epithelial cell damage and endothelium damage were also observed. Linoleate had no significant effect on these biochemical parameters and morphological findings. Subacute effect of leukotoxin: Twelve hr after administration of leukotoxin (50µmol/kg) or linoleate (50µmol/kg), the same studies were performed as in the acute experiments. Immediately after administration of leukotoxin, no significant effect was observed. However, 12 hr later similar changes were observed as in the acute experiments. Linoleate did not show any significant effect 12 hr after injection. These results indicate that leukotoxin biosynthesized by neutrophils might be closely related to the genesis of inflammatory edema.

Mechanism Responsible for Alterations in Numbers of Autonomic Nerve Receptors in Experimental Asthma

This study was designed to elucidate the mechanism responsible for alterations in the numbers of autonomic nerve receptors in experimental asthma. In the in vivo experiment, guinea pigs sensitized by exposure to aerosol of 2% ovalbumin for 7-8 min for 10 successive days were used as the experimental asthma group. The control group was exposed to saline. Beta-, alpha-1-adrenergic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in lung membranes were studied by direct binding techniques using l-3H-dihydroalprenolol, 3H-bunazosin and l-3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate, respectively. The experimental asthma group showed a 33% decrease in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors, a 37% increase in the number of alpha-1-adrenergic receptors and no change in the number of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors compared with the control group. The endogenous phospholipase activity was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using tridecanoyl phosphatidylcholine as a substrate. The phospholipase activity in lung membranes in the experimental asthma group was elevated by 50% compared with that in the control group. Lung membrane phospholipid composition was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography with a flame ionization detector. In the experimental asthma group, the amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine decreased significantly compared with those in the control group. In the in vitro experiment after pretreatment of lung membranes with phospholipase A2, a decreased number of beta-adrenergic receptors, an increased number of alpha-1-adrenergic receptors and no change in the number of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors were observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Concerning the assays for autonomic nerve receptors: effects of incubation temperature and time on alterations in the number of receptors

Alterations in autonomic nerve receptors play an important role in various pathological conditions, including bronchial asthma. Nevertheless, receptor assay conditions such as incubation temperature and incubation time are not consistent among various investigators. This study was designed to clarify the effects of incubation temperature and time on alterations in the number of autonomic nerve receptors. Guinea pig lung membranes were divided into five groups which were incubated under different incubation temperatures and over different incubation times. After incubation, the following experiments were performed. Beta-, alpha-1-adrenergic, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor assays were performed by direct binding technique using L-3H-dihydroalprenolol, 3H-bunazosin, and L-3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate, respectively. Elevation of incubation temperature and prolongation of incubation time caused a significant decrease in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors and an increase in the number of alpha-1-adrenergic receptors. The number of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors did not change significantly in spite of changes in incubation temperature and time. Adenylate cyclase activity was measured by following the synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate from nonradioactive adenosine triphosphate. Isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity decreased significantly in correspondence with the elevation of incubation temperature and prolongation of the incubation time. Contents of free fatty acids in lung membranes were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Free fatty acid contents increased significantly in accordance with elevation of incubation temperature and prolongation of incubation time which reflected on the degradation of membrane phospholipids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of the calcium antagonist, diltiazem, on beta-agonist-induced reduction of beta-adrenergic responsiveness in the guinea pig lung

This study was designed to clarify the mechanism of tolerance that occurs during prolonged administration of a beta-agonist in relation to membrane phospholipid degradation and to elucidate the effect of diltiazem, a calcium antagonist. Guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups: (1) control—physiological saline (0.5 ml) was injected once a day for 7 successive days; (2) metaproterenol (Mp)—Mp was injected intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg/day) for 7 successive days; (3) Mp + diltiazem—diltiazem was injected intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg/day) 30 min before Mp injection for 7 successive days. The number of beta-adrenoceptors and the 10−5 M (−)-isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity were significantly decreased in the metaproterenol group. Diltiazem reduced these decreases. Phospholipase activity was increased and phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine levels were decreased in the metaproterenol group. Diltiazem also reduced these changes.These results suggest that the degradation of membrane phospholipids by phospholipase may be involved in a decrease in beta-adrenergic response caused by successive administration of metaproterenol. Diltiazem protects membrane phospholipids from phospholipase attack, which in turn maintains beta-adrenergic responsiveness.