Biomedical subjects

D A Rickaby

Publications and source records attributed to D A Rickaby.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Purified recombinant A. fumigatus allergens induce different responses in mice.

Aspergillus fumigatus an opportunistic fungus is associated with a number of diseases in humans. Allergy resulting from exposure to the A. fumigatus allergens has been recognized frequently. The damage caused by the disease is very striking in patients with atopy and those with cystic fibrosis. Avoidance to exposure is not feasible because A. fumigatus spores are ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Hence, immunotherapeutic regimens in severe forms of A. fumigatus allergy may have a high potential. However, before such forms of therapy can be envisaged, it is essential to understand the immunopathogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of purified A. fumigatus allergens in the development of allergic asthma in mice. We have used four major recombinant A. fumigatus allergens in the murine model. Mice exposed to Asp f 1, f 3, and f 4 showed inflammatory changes in the lungs and airway hyperreactivity. The immune responses, including elevated serum IgE, enhanced eosinophils, recruitment in the peripheral blood and lungs, and expression of regulatory cytokines, are characteristic of a Th2 response. Asp f 6 demonstrated only a reduced response in these animals. The results suggest that the pathology induced by crude A. fumigatus extract results from the cumulative effects of the allergens and the individual responses varied considerably with different purified antigens.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1999

Aspergillus fumigatus antigen exposure results in pulmonary airway resistance in wild-type but not in IL-4 knockout mice.

Inhalation of Aspergillus fumigatus, a ubiquitous fungus, results in the development of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a disabling allergic lung disease. For better patient management early diagnosis is essential, and understanding of the immune mechanism is important in achieving this goal. Although animal model studies have contributed to the understanding of the disease mechanism, details on the immunopathogenesis are still lacking. In the present study, we have developed an allergic aspergillosis model in wild-type and IL-4 knockout mice and studied the immune and airway responses. The results indicate that the immune response, pulmonary pathology, and airway reactivity comparable to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis are reproducible in wild mice. IL-4 knockout mice showed similar pulmonary pathology, but no increase in airway resistance, suggesting that IgE and hence IL-4 may be important in eliciting the airway response, while other factors may be involved in the inflammatory process.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1999

A murine model of latex allergy-induced airway hyperreactivity.

Sensitization to latex proteins can cause immediate IgE mast cell-mediated reactions. Health care workers have been found to be particularly at risk because of high exposure. Latex allergy can be produced in mice as demonstrated by IgE and eosinophil responses. Thus the mouse is a potential animal model for studying this disease, but the airway response to latex sensitization in mice has not been evaluated previously. In the present study, we immunized BALB/c mice intranasally with nonammoniated latex proteins. Animals were anesthetized, and lung mechanics were evaluated plethysmographically. Changes in pulmonary conductance (GL) and compliance (Cdyn) were measured in response to a nonspecific challenge with methacholine or to a direct challenge with intravenous latex antigen. Latex sensitization resulted in elevated levels of IgE and latex-specific IgG1 as well as interstitial infiltrates consistent with an allergic response. The methacholine dose-response ED50 for GL was 116.4 microg for the control mice and fell significantly to 20.9 microg for latex-sensitized mice. The ED50 calculated for Cdyn was also significantly lower after latex sensitization. The GL in latex-sensitized mice challenged with latex antigen fell significantly from a prechallenge value of 1.87 +/- 0.41 (S.E.) to 0. 198 +/- 0.03 ml x s-1 x cmH2O after latex antigen challenge. The results indicate that latex-sensitized mice did exhibit increased airway reactivity in the methacholine challenge test. The latex allergic response in mice is unique in that direct challenge with latex antigen itself also resulted in a significant airway response.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1999

Immune response and airway reactivity in wild and IL-4 knockout mice exposed to latex allergens.

BACKGROUND: Natural rubber latex has been reported as a major cause of allergy and asthma in a number of individuals. One of the occupational groups most affected by latex allergy are the health care workers who are frequently exposed to natural rubber latex products in their patient care activities. The immunopathogenesis of latex allergy is not well understood. In order to understand the immune mechanism in latex allergy, we have developed a mouse model of latex allergy. METHODS: Both wild-type and IL-4 knockout BALB/c mice were challenged intranasally with latex proteins and their immune responses, lung pathology, and airway reactivity were evaluated. RESULTS: The total serum IgE and latex specific IgE, IgG1, and peripheral blood and lung eosinophil levels in wild type BALB/c mice were enhanced by the latex exposure, while no IgE or eosinophil were detected in IL-4 knockout mice. Latex-specific IgG1 levels in the sera were lower in IL-4 knockout animals compared to wild mice. However, latex-specific IgG2a antibody was higher in all the IL-4 knockout mice compared to wild type mice. Both the wild type and IL-4 knockout animals developed increased airway resistance after antigen challenge when compared to control animals, although the airway resistance response of IL-4 knockout animals was attenuated compared to the wild-type animals. The histology of the lungs of these two groups of animals was similar. CONCLUSION: In spite of the differences in the immune responses in the two groups of mice, there were comparable lung inflammatory responses, suggesting a multifactorial pathogenetic mechanism.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Flow-induced vasodilation in the ferret lung.

To examine the possibility that shear stress may be a pulmonary vasodilator stimulus, we studied the effect of changing blood flow on the diameters of small pulmonary arteries in isolated perfused ferret lung lobes. The arteries studied were in the approximately 0.3- to 1.3-mm-diameter range, and the diameters were measured by using microfocal X-ray imaging. The diameters were measured at two flow rates, 10 and 40 ml/min, with the intravascular pressure in the measured vessels the same at the two flow rates as the result of venous pressure adjustment. The response to a change in flow was studied under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia was used to elevate pulmonary arterial tone to increase the likelihood of detecting a vasodilator response. Under normoxic conditions, changing flow had little effect on the arterial diameters, but under hypoxic conditions the arteries were consistently larger at the higher flow than at the lower flow, even though the distending pressure was the same at the two flow rates. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that shear stress is a pulmonary vasodilator stimulus.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Late response to whole-lung irradiation alone and with whole-body hyperthermia in dogs.

The late effects of whole-lung irradiation with and without whole-body hyperthermia were studied in beagle dogs. The reference doses ranged from 18 to 49.5 Gy given in 1.5-Gy fractions over 6 weeks. Whole-body hyperthermia was given in three 2-h treatments to a deep rectal temperature of 42.0 degrees C. Radiation was given simultaneously with hyperthermia on those days. Physiological and histopathological responses were evaluated. Physiological changes included decreases in cardiac output, systemic blood pressure, dynamic compliance and serotonin uptake. Early changes included an increase in extravascular water and total protein in the lavage. These changes were considered mild, were compensated for and occurred only in dogs receiving doses of 40.5 Gy or greater given in 1.5-Gy fractions over 6 weeks. Histopathological changes were typical of irradiated lung and included pleural fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis, fibrotic foci, and peribronchial and perivascular fibrosis. There was no enhancement of late injury to lung by hyperthermia seen in this study.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Subpleural pulmonary microvascular pressures in the dog lung.

The reported values for the pressure difference between lobar artery and subpleural arteriole and between subpleural venule and lobar vein as a fraction of the total arterial-to-venous pressure drop across the dog lung have varied considerably. We carried out the present study to provide an additional set of measurements and to determine whether it is likely that differences in venous pressure or transpulmonary pressure between studies might make a substantial contribution to variations between studies. We measured the lobar arterial pressure (Pa) to subpleural arteriole (22-60 microns diam) pressure (Pma) to subpleural venule (30-80 microns diam) pressure (Pmv) to lobar venous pressure (Pv) distribution over a range of alveolar pressures (PA; 2.5-13.1 mmHg) and venous pressures (0-24.2 mmHg) in isolated dog lung lobes using the micropuncture servo-null technique. On average, near functional residual capacity (PA = 3 mmHg) and venous pressure equal to PA, (Pa-Pma)/(Pma-Pmv)/(Pmv-Pv) was 37:30:33%. Under zone 3 conditions, there was a small positive correlation between the fractional Pa-to-Pma pressure difference and PA and Pv, but dependence of the Pmv-to-Pv fraction on PA and Pv was not consistent. The overall effects of PA and Pv on the fractional pressure drops were not sufficient to account for differences between previous studies. Under zone 2 conditions as the venous pressure was varied, the changes in Pmv were nearly equal to the changes in Pv, whereas Pma was relatively insensitive to Pv. Thus, the zone 2 results were consistent with a capillary location for the flow-limiting segment under zone 2 conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Influence of hypoxia and serotonin on small pulmonary vessels.

X-ray angiograms obtained from isolated perfused dog lungs were used to measure changes in the internal diameter of small intraparenchymal pulmonary arteries (150-1,600 microns) and veins (200-1,000 microns) in response to hypoxia or intra-arterial serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] infusion. The diameter changes in response to the two stimuli were measured over a range of stimulus-induced increases (delta Pa) in the total arteriovenous pressure drop. When the resulting delta Pa was small, all arteries in the diameter range studied constricted in response to either stimuli. The maximum decrease in diameter was approximately 25% with hypoxia and 36% with 5-HT. However, when delta Pa was large, arteries with a control diameter larger than approximately 800 microns distended with hypoxia. On the other hand, 5-HT constricted all the arteries in the size range studied regardless of the resulting magnitude of delta Pa. Hypoxia caused a small (approximately 9%) constriction in all veins in the diameter range studied independent of diameter or the magnitude of delta Pa, whereas in the concentration range studied 5-HT had no significant influence on these veins. An analysis of the potential impact of these vessels on total pulmonary vascular resistance suggested that although vessels in the size range studied contributed significantly to the total response to these two stimuli, vessels smaller than those studied also made a major contribution to the total response.

Angiography↗

PubMed1994

Pulmonary capillary transport function from flow-limited indicators.

The objective of this study was to examine the use of rapidly diffusing (flow-limited) indicators for estimating the pulmonary capillary blood volume (i.e., fraction of the lung blood volume wherein the diffusible indicators equilibrate with the tissue) and the capillary transit time distribution. Supporting theory and an application to experimental data are presented. The theory leads to the following equations, which relate the mean transit time (t), the variance (sigma 2), and the third central moment (m3) of the capillary transport function, hc(t), to the moments of the venous concentration-time curves for a vascular reference indicator, CR(t), and a flow-limited diffusible indicator, CD(t), after a bolus injection of the indicators upstream from an organ: sigma 2D - sigma 2R = ([1 + (te/tc)]2-1)sigma 2c and m3D-m3R = ([1 + (te/tc)]3-1)m3c, where te = tD - tR and tc is capillary t. The moments of hc(t) can be estimated if the injected bolus includes, along with the vascular reference indicator, at least two flow-limited diffusible indicators, each with a different te. A least-squares optimization procedure can then be used to specify the moments of hc(t). This approach was applied to isolated dog lung lobes with [14C]-diazepam as the diffusible indicator. The tissue-to-perfusate partition coefficient for [14C]diazepam could be adjusted to any desired value by altering the perfusate albumin concentration. Thus, by making a number of injections, each at a different perfusate albumin concentration, data were obtained in a manner equivalent to making one injection with a number of flow-limited diffusible indicators, each with a different te. On average, the estimated capillary volume and mean transit time were approximately 48% of the total lobar volume and mean transit time, and the relative dispersion of the hc(t) was approximately 75%.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Edema development and recovery in neurogenic pulmonary edema.

We determined the time course of changes in extravascular lung water (EVLW) that occur after massive sympathetic activation produced by intracisternal veratrine administration in chloralose-anesthetized dogs. Three groups of dogs were studied. In the first group (n = 9), acute increases in EVLW (occurring within minutes) were determined both by measuring extravascular thermal volume and by gravimetric analysis. In the second (n = 6) and third (n = 7) groups, changes in EVLW were followed for 2-3 h after veratrine administration. Extravascular thermal volume was measured in the second group. In the third group, right atrial injections of a vascular indicator (125I-labeled serum albumin) and an extravascular indicator (3HOH) were made while blood was sampled from the pulmonary artery (PA) and left atrium, and EVLW was determined by deconvolution of the left atrial and PA concentration-time curves. Indicator-dilution and gravimetric EVLW increased acutely only in dogs in which PA pressure exceeded 60 Torr, with two- to four-fold increases in EVLW being observed in dogs that developed the highest PA pressures (maximum 94 Torr). Thus, severe edema can develop rapidly after massive sympathetic nervous system activation but requires extreme degrees of pulmonary hypertension. In several dogs after the acute increase in EVLW associated with the pulmonary hypertension, the indicator-dilution EVLW decreased with time. These decreases appear to effect clearance of edema fluid rather than alterations in perfusion.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

The vascular site of action of hypoxia in the neonatal pig lung.

To determine the vascular site(s) of action of hypoxia in the neonatal pig, isolated lungs were perfused at a constant flow rate and left atrial pressure; arterial, venous, and double occlusions were performed. The distribution of the total pulmonary vascular resistance and the total dynamic vascular compliance were calculated using a model of the pulmonary circulation consisting of upstream, central, and downstream compliances and resistances upstream and downstream of central compliance. In addition, the static vascular compliance was measured by venous followed by arterial occlusion, and the total vascular volume was measured by dye-dilution. In this preparation during control conditions alveolar PO2 = 12 +/- 2 kPa), total pulmonary vascular resistance was nearly evenly divided between resistance upstream and downstream of double occlusion pressure and total dynamic vascular compliance was concentrated mainly in the central compliance (7% upstream compliance, 82% central compliance, and 11% downstream compliance). Hypoxia (alveolar PO2 = 4 +/- 1 kPa) increased both resistance upstream of double occlusion pressure (p < 0.005) and resistance downstream of double occlusion pressure (p < 0.02) and decreased central compliance (p < 0.005). Hypoxia also decreased total pulmonary blood volume (p < 0.02). These results suggest that in the pulmonary vasculature of the neonatal pig, hypoxia results mainly in 1) arterial constriction as evidenced by a large increase in upstream resistance and a decrease in total pulmonary blood volume and 2) a smaller but significant venous constriction. This venous constriction may have implications in the pathogenesis and therapy of pulmonary vascular diseases associated with hypoxia such as postasphyxial lung disease and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

A distensible vessel model applied to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in the neonatal pig.

Recently, we presented a simple two-parameter distensible vessel model as a potential tool for characterizing pulmonary vascular pressure vs. flow curves under zone 3 conditions (Linehan et al. J. Appl. Physiol. 73: 987-994, 1992). One parameter, alpha, represents the distensibility of the resistance vessels as the fractional change in vessel diameter per Torr change in pressure, and the other parameter, R0, represents the vascular resistance that would exist if the resistance vessels were at their respective diameters obtained if the vascular pressure were zero. The objective of the present study was to determine whether this distensible vessel model was capable of describing the pressure vs. flow data obtained during hypoxia vasoconstriction and under control conditions in isolated lungs from neonatal pigs. The piglet lungs were perfused with autologous blood, and the pulmonary arterial pressure was measured over a range of flow rates from 15 to 250 ml.min-1 x kg-1 at constant left atrial (3 Torr) pressure. The model provided a reasonable fit to the data under both conditions. Hypoxia resulted in a significant increase in R0, from 0.39 +/- 0.10 Torr.ml-1 x min.kg during control conditions to 1.41 +/- 0.46 Torr.ml-1 x min.kg during hypoxia. alpha was 2.4 +/- 0.4%/Torr under control conditions and 2.0 +/- 0.4%/Torr during hypoxia, but this difference was not statistically significant. The results suggest that the distensible vessel model may be useful for interpreting pressure-flow data in terms of changes in geometry and distensibility of the resistance vessels in response to a vasoconstrictor stimulus such as hypoxia.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Lung inflation distends small arteries (< 1 mm) in excised dog lungs.

We utilized microfocal fluoroscopic angiography to study the influence of lung inflation on small (0.2- to 1.3-mm-diam) pulmonary arteries in isolated left lower lobes from dog lungs during both flow and no-flow conditions. Alveolar pressure, which in this preparation was equal to transpulmonary pressure, was set at 2, 8, or 14 mmHg while vascular pressure was varied from 0 to 24 mmHg. The diameters of these small arterial vessels increased with lung inflation. No differences were observed between the results obtained during flow and no-flow conditions. Thus, arteries in this diameter range can be considered as extra-alveolar, and the effect of lung inflation on these small extra-alveolar arteries was qualitatively similar to that previously described for larger extra-alveolar vessels. Quantitatively, the degree of vessel distension was about the same per unit increase in transpulmonary pressure at constant vascular pressure as for a change in vascular pressure at constant transpulmonary pressure. Accordingly, inflation produced a decrease in perivascular pressure surrounding these small arteries that was approximately equal to the increase in transpulmonary pressure.

Air Pressure↗

PubMed1992

Use of diazepam for interpreting changes in extravascular lung water.

Estimates of extravascular lung water volume (Qew) by use of the multiple indicator-dilution method with a hydrophilic indicator such as tritiated water, along with a vascular reference indicator, depend not only on tissue hydration but also on tissue perfusion. Separation of these effects might be facilitated if both hydrophilic and lipophilic indicators were used, with the assumption that the extravascular volume accessible to the lipophilic indicator would be independent of hydration. We found that in isolated perfused dog lung lobes the extravascular volume accessible to the lipophilic amine [14C]diazepam (Qed) was inversely proportional to the albumin concentration of the perfusate. This suggested that while the bolus was in the lungs, only a small fraction of the diazepam was in the aqueous phase of either lung tissue or perfusate. Changing the flow rate over a fairly wide range had little influence on the pattern of the tritiated water or [14C]diazepam effluent concentration curves when time was normalized to the lobar mean transit time. This suggests that the association of the diazepam with both the plasma albumin and the lipoid fraction of the tissue was in very rapid equilibrium on the time scale of a single pass through the lung lobe and that there was little barrier to its diffusion to and from the tissue. When the extravascular water volume was increased by either raising the hydrostatic pressure or instilling saline into the airways, both Qew and Qew/Qed increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Albumins↗

PubMed1992

Influence of flow on pulmonary vascular surface area inferred from blue dextran efflux data.

Blue dextran (BD), which binds to proteins on the pulmonary endothelial surface and to plasma albumin, was used in isolated perfused dog lung lobe experiments to address the question: do changes in perfusate flow rate cause changes in perfused vascular surface area? When BD was added to a protein-free perfusate under zone 3 conditions at a high flow rate (15.8 +/- 0.7 ml/s), it was adsorbed by the endothelial surface. Then by changing the perfusate entering the lobe to an albumin-containing perfusate, the BD was eluted from the perfused surface by competitive binding to the perfusate albumin. The amount of BD eluted was measured in three experiments. In experiment 1, elution of the BD by the perfusate albumin was initiated after a balloon had been inflated within the lobar arterial tree to occlude a portion of the lobar vascular bed containing BD. Then the balloon was deflated, permitting albumin perfusate to perfuse the previously occluded part of the lobe. In experiment 2, BD elution began at a flow rate of 3 +/- 0.1 ml/s under zone 3 conditions and continued after the high-flow zone 3 conditions were reestablished. In experiment 3, the BD elution began at a flow rate of 4.2 +/- 0.7 ml/s under zone 2 conditions and continued after the high-flow zone 3 conditions were reestablished. Balloon inflation reduced the amount of BD recovered by 43%, demonstrating that a decrease in perfused vascular surface area could decrease BD recovery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Distensibility of small veins of the dog lung.

To determine the distensibility of the intrapulmonary veins (250-2,900 microns diam) of the dog lung, we obtained X-ray angiograms from isolated lung lobes over a vascular pressure range of approximately 0-30 Torr. Over this pressure range the diameter vs. pressure curves tended to flatten out at the high pressures. In the pressure range of 0-19 Torr, we characterized the vessel distensibility by alpha (the ratio of the slope, beta, of the graph of diameter vs. intravascular pressure to the intercept, Do). The average value of alpha was approximately 1.2%/Torr. There was a weak negative correlation (r = -0.32) between alpha and Do. Infusion of enough norepinephrine to produce approximately 50% increase in total lobar vascular resistance produced a decrease in Do and alpha of approximately 33 and 32%, respectively.

Angiography↗

PubMed1991

Effect of vasoconstriction on longitudinal distribution of pulmonary vascular pressure and volume.

We used an improved version of the low-viscosity bolus method to evaluate longitudinal (arterial-to-venous) differences in the sensitivity of the dog lung lobe vasculature to selected vasoconstrictor stimuli, including hypoxia, and serotonin, histamine, and norepinephrine infusions. This method revealed a bimodal distribution of local vascular resistance vs. cumulative vascular volume under the zone 3 conditions studied. Our interpretation of the two modes of relatively high resistance is that they correspond to high resistance per unit volume segments of the arteries and veins upstream and downstream from the relatively low resistance per unit volume capillary bed. Thus an increase in the height of the upstream and downstream modes of the resistance distribution suggests constriction in small arteries and veins, respectively. Horizontal displacement of the modes along the cumulative volume axis suggests changes in the distribution of volume among the arteries, veins, and capillary bed. By use of these criteria, the results are consistent with the concept that each of the vasoconstrictor stimuli studied had a different longitudinal response pattern. Hypoxia constricted mainly small arteries, whereas serotonin constricted small and large arteries. Histamine constricted large and small veins, and norepinephrine constricted large and small veins and arteries.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Localization of the sites of pulmonary vasomotion by use of arterial and venous occlusion.

In this study, we present a new approach for using the pressure vs. time data obtained after various vascular occlusion maneuvers in pump-perfused lungs to gain insight into the longitudinal distribution of vascular resistance with respect to vascular compliance. Occlusion data were obtained from isolated dog lung lobes under normal control conditions, during hypoxia, and during histamine or serotonin infusion. The data used in the analysis include the slope of the arterial pressure curve and the zero time intercept of the extrapolated venous pressure curve after venous occlusion, the equilibrium pressure after simultaneous occlusion of both the arterial inflow and venous outflow, and the area bounded by equilibrium pressure and the arterial pressure curve after arterial occlusion. We analyzed these data by use of a compartmental model in which the vascular bed is represented by three parallel compliances separated by two series resistances, and each of the three compliances and the two resistances can be identified. To interpret the model parameters, we view the large arteries and veins as mainly compliance vessels and the small arteries and veins as mainly resistance vessels. The capillary bed is viewed as having a high compliance, and any capillary resistance is included in the two series resistances. With this view in mind, the results are consistent with the major response to serotonin infusion being constriction of large and small arteries (a decrease in arterial compliance and an increase in arterial resistance), the major response to histamine infusion being constriction of small and large veins (an increase in venous resistance and a decrease in venous compliance), and the major response to hypoxia being constriction of the small arteries (an increase in arterial resistance). The results suggest that this approach may have utility for evaluation of the sites of action of pulmonary vasomotor stimuli.

Animals↗