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At least 955 records · Page 53Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Autonomous growth and function of cultured thyroid follicles from cats with spontaneous hyperthyroidism.

Spontaneous feline hyperthyroidism is a unique experimental model of toxic nodular goiter. To determine whether feline toxic goiter is caused by extrathyroidal stimulating factors or by the intrinsic autonomy of follicular cells, primary cultures of enzymatically dissociated follicles from 15 hyperthyroid cat goiters and from 3 normal cat thyroid glands were embedded in collagen gels. Growth and function in chemically defined media were assessed by autoradiography after double labeling with 3H-thymidine and 131I-Na. Iodine organification in follicles from normal glands was TSH dependent, but intense radioiodine organification occurred in follicles from hyperfunctioning goiters even in the absence of TSH. Similarly, twice as many follicular cells of hyperfunctioning thyroid tissue, maintained without TSH in the medium, were labeled after exposure to 3H-thymidine than in follicles from normal glands. The results strongly suggest that intrinsic alterations of cell function lead to autonomy of follicular growth and function and subsequently to the development of hyperplastic nodules, causing thyrotoxicosis. The reason for the focal nature of the disease remains an unresolved challenge. Further investigation using this model may further understanding of the growth of autonomous endocrine tumors.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Yeast pheromone signaling pathway as a bioassay to assess the effect of chemicals on mammalian peptide hormones.

The intercellular pheromone signal transduction pathways involved in sexual reproduction in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae constitute an extracellular network system involving cell surface receptors. The system is analogous to the signaling pathway of mammalian peptide hormones. The yeast mating pheromone alpha factor is homologous to mammalian gonadoliberins such as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). In this study, we used the yeast pheromone signaling pathway as a model system to evaluate the effect of industrial chemicals on mammalian peptide hormones. Haploid a- and alpha-cell types conjugate, using mating pheromones, to form diploid cells. However, in a cells treated with certain chemicals used in pesticides, fungicides, and industrial products (i.e., TPN (CAS No. 1897-45-6), thiuram (CAS No. 137-26-8), captan (CAS No. 133-06-2), oxine-copper (CAS No. 10380-28-6), zineb (CAS No. 12122-67-7), and ziram (CAS No. 137-30-4)) the induction of shmoo formation was suppressed even when commercial alpha-factor was added. The FUS1-lacZ gene, which is transcriptionally regulated by a pheromone, was transferred into yeast and the effects of TPN, captan, zineb, and ziram, under sublethal conditions, were investigated: beta-Galactosidase levels declined to levels similar to that of untreated control cells when in the absence of the alpha-factor. Furthermore, these chemicals influenced conjugation to alpha-cells, and mating efficiency declined as chemical concentration increased. Analysis of the yeast pheromone signaling pathway helps to establish chemical toxicity assay models for mammalian peptide signal transduction pathways.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms as models for the adsorption of toxicants on activated charcoal.

The Langmuir isotherm has been widely used to characterize the adsorption of solutes from aqueous solutions. Activated charcoal adsorption data obtained experimentally, using a wide range of adsorbate concentrations, fit the Langmuir isotherm poorly but evidence a good fit to the Freundlich isotherm. Statistical analysis reveals this to be also true of published data that was previously considered to adhere to the Langmuir isotherm. Over the range of possible adsorbate concentrations, the two isotherms predict rather different adsorption behavior. Of the two, the Freundlich isotherm is able to more fully account for observed antidotal effectiveness of activated charcoal in vivo. A method of graphical analysis is advanced that more readily distinguishes the relative goodness-of-fit of the two isotherms. This and the statistical paradigm employed to decide between the two competing hypotheses should allow the adsorption phenomena involving other adsorbents to be re-examined.

Charcoal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Status of the antioxidant, monooxygenase and humoral immune system of the body in d-galactosamine hepatitis].

Galactosamine model of toxic hepatitis in rats which, as to its morphobiochemical picture, is considered adequate to human hepatitis was used to study the role of disturbances of the functional state of antioxidant and monooxygenase systems as well as humoral area of the systems of immune protection in pathogenesis of the given disease. It is shown that most components of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant system (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, restored glutathione, phospholipids) are considerably inhibited by the toxin effect. At the same time content of ceruloplasmin is increased in the blood plasma. Considerable disturbances are also observed in the humoral chain of the immune system (content of immunoglobulins and circulating immune complexes varies) and in the processes of microsomal oxidation.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

In vivo and in vitro cytokine modulatory activity of newly synthesised 2-aminotetraline derivatives.

In the present study, the protective effect of newly synthesised 2-aminotetralines was investigated in murine models of toxic shock. A few derivatives protected mice against lethality induced by lipopolysaccharide from different bacterial strains and shock induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B in mice sensitized by D-Galactosamine (D-Galn). Notably, one derivative, S(-)-2-amino-6-fluoro-7-methoxy-1,2,3,4 tetrahydronaphthalene hydrochloride (ST1214), was also effective when administered orally (30 mg kg-1) in a therapeutic regimen. ST1214 markedly inhibited the production of the proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), Interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), as well as the inflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO), and concurrently enhanced the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Moreover, ST1214 dose-dependently reduced TNF-alpha production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and promonocytic THP-1 cells in vitro. In the latter, ST1214 was found to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha secretion but not cytokine mRNA accumulation. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of ST1214 involves blockade of posttranscriptional events of TNF-alpha production, apparently independent of p38 and ERK kinase activity. These results show beneficial effects of 2-aminotetralines in murine shock models and indicate a distinct counter-regulatory activity in down-regulating proinflammatory cytokine response, and upregulating IL-10. One derivative, i.e., ST1214, can be regarded as a lead compound in the development of novel drugs effective in anti-inflammatory strategies.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic programming for the induction of decision trees to model ecotoxicity data.

Automatic induction of decision trees and production rules from data to develop structure-activity models for toxicity prediction has recently received much attention, and the majority of methodologies reported in the literature are based upon recursive partitioning employing greedy searches to choose the best splitting attribute and value at each node. These approaches can be successful; however, the greedy search will necessarily miss regions of the search space. Recent literature has demonstrated the applicability of genetic programming to decision tree induction to overcome this problem. This paper presents a variant of this novel approach, using fewer mutation options and a simpler fitness function, demonstrating its utility in inducing decision trees for ecotoxicity data, via a case study of two data sets giving improved accuracy and generalization ability over a popular decision tree inducer.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

A mortality kinetics approach to characterizing the fractionated exposure-mortality response relationship of radon progeny.

The utility of mortality kinetics analysis in evaluating mortality data from fractionated exposure studies was demonstrated using radon-progeny induced extra mortality as an example. Gompertz (log-hazard) functions were used to characterize the mortality of male SPF Wistar rats exposed to radon progeny at 100 WL and 1000 WL for total exposures ranging from 20 to 10,240 WLM. There was an upward parallel displacement of the Gompertz functions following the period of radon exposure. The shape of the Gompertz functions for the exposed animals was consistent with a Gompertz model of toxicity resulting from short-term exposure, resulting in non-repaired injury that summates with natural (aging) injury. The parallel upward displacements (epsilon ss) of the Gompertz functions showed an unexpected non-monotonic pattern for rats exposed at 1000 WL. The parallel upward displacements showed a sharp upward increase from 320 to 640 WLM, fell at 1280 WLM, and thereafter increased linearly to 10,240 WLM. These data suggest that the radon progeny exposure-mortality response is non-linear. In contrast, there was no significant parallel upward displacement of the Gompertz functions for rats exposed at 100 WL for total exposures of 20-1280 WLM, but a large displacement began at 2560 WLM total exposure.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acrylamide: review of toxicity data and dose-response analyses for cancer and noncancer effects.

Acrylamide (ACR) is used in the manufacture of polyacrylamides and has recently been shown to form when foods, typically containing certain nutrients, are cooked at normal cooking temperatures (e.g., frying, grilling or baking). The toxicity of ACR has been extensively investigated. The major findings of these studies indicate that ACR is neurotoxic in animals and humans, and it has been shown to be a reproductive toxicant in animal models and a rodent carcinogen. Several reviews of ACR toxicity have been conducted and ACR has been categorized as to its potential to be a human carcinogen in these reviews. Allowable levels based on the toxicity data concurrently available had been developed by the U.S. EPA. New data have been published since the U.S. EPA review in 1991. The purpose of this investigation was to review the toxicity data, identify any new relevant data, and select those data to be used in dose-response modeling. Proposed revised cancer and noncancer toxicity values were estimated using the newest U.S. EPA guidelines for cancer risk assessment and noncancer hazard assessment. Assessment of noncancer endpoints using benchmark models resulted in a reference dose (RfD) of 0.83 microg/kg/day based on reproductive effects, and 1.2 microg/kg/day based on neurotoxicity. Thyroid tumors in male and female rats were the only endpoint relevant to human health and were selected to estimate the point of departure (POD) using the multistage model. Because the mode of action of acrylamide in thyroid tumor formation is not known with certainty, both linear and nonlinear low-dose extrapolations were conducted under the assumption that glycidamide or ACR, respectively, were the active agent. Under the U.S. EPA guidelines (2005), when a chemical produces rodent tumors by a nonlinear or threshold mode of action, an RfD is calculated using the most relevant POD and application of uncertainty factors. The RfD was estimated to be 1.5 microg/kg/day based on the use of the area under the curve (AUC) for ACR hemoglobin adducts under the assumption that the parent, ACR, is the proximate carcinogen in rodents by a nonlinear mode of action. When the mode of action in assumed to be linear in the low-dose region, a risk-specific dose corresponding to a specified level of risk (e.g., 1 x 10-5) is estimated, and, in the case of ACR, was 9.5 x 10-2 microg ACR/kg/day based on the use of the AUC for glycidamide adduct data. However, it should be noted that although this review was intended to be comprehensive, it is not exhaustive, as new data are being published continuously.

Acrylamide↗
PubMed1996

The effects of overfeeding and moderate dietary restriction on Sprague-Dawley rat survival, pathology, carcinogenicity, and the toxicity of pharmaceutical agents.

Ad libitum (AL) overfeeding is the most significant uncontrolled variable effecting the rodent bioassay. There is a highly significant correlation between food consumption, the resultant body weight, and two-year survival in laboratory rats. We have studied the effects of AL overfeeding, moderate dietary restriction (DR) and several modified diets on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat longevity, spontaneous disease, carcinogenesis and the toxicity of pharmaceuticals. AL feeding of diets varying in protein, fiber and metabolizable energy content did not significantly alter two-year rat survival. Moderate DR (within the range of reported AL food intake) of all diets tested significantly improved survival and delayed the onset of spontaneous degenerative disease and diet-related tumors compared to AL-fed rats. Moderate DR resulted in a similar incidence of spontaneous tumors by 2 years, however, the tumors were more likely to be incidental and not result in early mortality. There was a decreased, age-adjusted incidence of pituitary and mammary gland tumors, but tumor volume and growth time was similar between AL and DR groups indicating similar tumor progression with a delay in tumor onset. Moderate DR did not change Phase I and Phase II drug metabolizing enzyme levels and did not significantly alter the toxicological response to 5 pharmaceuticals tested at maximum tolerated doses (MTDs). Additional studies with 4 pharmaceutical candidates did demonstrate that moderate DR allowed higher doses of compounds to be given before classical MTDs were observed. However, toxicokinetic studies of two of these compounds demonstrated steady state systemic exposures that were either equal of higher in the moderate DR fed rats. These and other data indicate that the moderate DR fed SD rat is a more appropriately controlled rodent model for toxicity and carcinogenicity studies to assess human safety of candidate pharmaceuticals.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Effect of mannitol on acute amphotericin B nephrotoxicity.

This study was undertaken to examine the value of mannitol as protection against the acute nephrotoxicity of amphotericin B under controlled conditions in a reproducible model of toxicity in the dog. Eleven dogs received amphotericin B, 2.5 mg x kg-1 b. wt. by i.v. infusion over a 4-h period. Six dogs were treated with mannitol, 6.25 g, i.v. every hour and five served as controls. Urinary volume (V), inulin clearance (CIn), p-aminohippurate clearance (CPAH), and Na excretion (UNaV) were measured every hour throughout the experiment. Although a higher urinary output was maintained in mannitol-treated dogs, a progressive decline in renal function was observed in treated and in control dogs. During the 4th h, mannitol-treated dogs showed higher CIn (37.4 vs. 19.7 ml x min-1 and CPAH (95 vs. 54 ml x min-1 than controls. However, statistically the differences were barely significant. The results fail to show that mannitol offers a definite protection against amphotericin B nephrotoxicity.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Combining cell culture analogue reactor designs and PBPK models to probe mechanisms of naphthalene toxicity.

An alternative method of evaluating the toxicology of a chemical is to use cultured mammalian cells in a novel cell culture analogue reactor (CCA) together with a corresponding physiologically based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK). The PBPK is a mathematical model that divides the body into compartments representing organs, integrating the kinetic, thermodynamic, and anatomical parameters of the animal. The bioreactor is a physical replica of the PBPK; where the PBPK specifies an organ or tissue compartment, the bioreactor contains compartments with a corresponding cell type. The device is a continuous, dynamic system composed of multiple cell types that interact through a common circulating cell culture medium. The bioreactor and the model are coupled to evaluate the plausibility of the molecular mechanism that is input into the model. This concept is tested with naphthalene as a model of PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) toxicants. Two physically different CCA reactors were tested with naphthalene, and different results were observed. In the prototype system using cells attached to glass dilution bottles, naphthalene dosing resulted in generation of a circulating metabolite from the "liver" compartment (based on H4IIE cells from a rat hepatoma) that caused cell death in the "lung" compartment (L2 cells from a rat lung), as well as depletion of glutathione in the L2 cells. An improved CCA using packed bed reactors of microcarrier cultured cells did not show differences between naphthalene-dosed and nondosed controls. To explain the different responses of the two CCA designs, PBPKs of the two reactors were tested with variations in physical and kinetic parameters, and toxic mechanism. When the toxic metabolite of naphthalene was naphthoquinone rather than naphthalene epoxide as initially assumed, the PBPK results were consistent with the results of the two CCA designs. This result indicates that the mechanism of naphthalene toxicity in the CCAs may be mediated through naphthoquinone formation. The CCA-PBPK concept is demonstrated to be applicable to the study of toxic mechanisms. In particular, use of this approach suggests that in vitro naphthalene toxicity is mediated through the naphthoquinone metabolite.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Heterozygous tx mice have an increased sensitivity to copper loading: implications for Wilson's disease carriers.

Wilson's disease carriers constitute 1% of the human population. It is unknown whether Wilson's disease carriers are at increased susceptibility to copper overload when exposed to chronically high levels of ingested copper. This study investigated the effect of chronic excess copper in drinking water on the heterozygous form of the Wilson's disease mouse model--the toxic milk (tx) mouse. Mice were provided with drinking water containing 300 mg/l copper for 4-7, 8-11, 12-15 or 16-20 months. At the completion of the study liver, spleen, kidney and brain tissue were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy to determine copper concentration. Plasma ceruloplasmin oxidase activity and liver histology were also assessed. Chronic copper loading resulted in significantly increased liver copper in both tx heterozygous and tx homozygous mice, while wild type mice were resistant to the effects of copper loading. Copper loading effects were greatest in tx homozygous mice, with increased extrahepatic copper deposition in spleen and kidney - an effect absent in heterozygote and wild type mice. Although liver histology in homozygous mice was markedly abnormal, no histological differences were noted between heterozygous and wild type mice with copper loading. Tx heterozygous mice have a reduced ability to excrete excess copper, indicating that half of the normal liver Atp7b copper transporter activity is insufficient to deal with large copper intakes. Our results suggest that Wilson's disease carriers in the human population may be at increased risk of copper loading if chronically exposed to elevated copper in food or drinking water.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1996

Stimulated tissue repair prevents lethality in isopropanol-induced potentiation of carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity.

Published reports on the alcohol potentiation of CCl4 toxicity indicate that in spite of enhanced hepatotoxicity there is no increase in lethality. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism involved in animal survival despite significantly enhanced liver injury. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (175-225 g) were treated with isopropanol (ISOP, 2.5 ml/kg, 25% aqueous solution, po) 24 hr prior to CCl4 (1 ml/kg, ip) administration. Plasma enzymes (ALT and SDH), hepatic glycogen levels, and [3H]thymidine (3H-T) incorporation into hepatonuclear DNA were measured during a time course (0-96 hr) after CCl4 administration. Liver sections were examined for histopathology and cell cycle progression by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry. Maximum injury was observed at 36 hr in both the groups as indicated by elevated plasma enzyme levels and by histopathology. The extent of injury in the ISOP + CCl4 group was higher than that in the H2O + CCl4 group. Plasma enzyme activity returned to control levels by 60 hr, indicating recovery from injury in both groups. Maximum 3H-T incorporation occurred at 48 hr in both groups (ISOP + CCl4; vehicle + CCl4), indicating maximum stimulation of S-phase synthesis. PCNA studies revealed a corresponding stimulation of cell cycle progression. The wave of S-phase synthesis and cell cycle progression returned to control levels in the H2O + CCl4 group by 60 hr but continued up to 72 hr in the ISOP + CCl4 group. These findings support the hypothesis that in response to increased infliction of CCl4 injury by isopropanol, augmented stimulation of cell division and tissue repair restrain the progression of injury and restore hepatic structure and function, thereby allowing the rats to survive. Further, antimitotic intervention with colchicine (1 mg/kg, ip) led to decreased S-phase synthesis, followed by 60% lethality in the isopropanol-pretreated group in contrast to 40% lethality in the group receiving CCl4 alone (H2O + CCl4). These findings suggest that greater stimulation of tissue repair restrains the progression of ISOP-enhanced infliction of CCl4 liver injury and accounts for recovery from enhanced liver injury and animal survival. The findings are consistent with a two-stage model of toxicity wherein liver injury is linked by progression or regression of injury, which is governed by the extent of tissue repair to the final outcome.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed2000

Male adolescent exposure to endocrine-disrupting pesticides: vinclozolin exposure in peripubertal rabbits.

Adolescence is a time of dramatic neuroendocrine changes that are required for sexual maturation. Hormonal mimicking or inhibiting chemicals can cause significant impairment during this critical period. Vinclozolin (Vin) has been shown to be an anti-androgen affecting male offspring in rats in utero, and its mechanism of action may be mediated by inhibition of androgenic receptor action. The majority of teenagers working on farms are male, and therefore a systemic fungicide, vinclozolin, was selected for study. The rabbit has proved to be an excellent species for modelling reproductive toxicant effects in the male and was selected as the test species. The peripubertal phase for the rabbit was determined to be between the 3rd and 4th months. A 2-month dosing period was therefore initiated at 3 months of age and carried through to the 4th month. Vin was administered by dermal application (100 mg kg(-1) in 100 microl of dimethylsulphoxide) daily. Body weights were determined weekly. The rabbits were then held until fully mature (6 months of age). Semen was collected and evaluated from sexually mature males on a weekly schedule for 5 weeks to maximize sperm output. An automated solid phase extraction procedure for monitoring exposures through isolation and quantification of Vin and its metabolic products was developed. Increased plasma levels of Vin and M2 were found throughout the experimental period. The exposed rabbits had a smaller weight gain during pubertal growth (approaching significance; P=0.059). At maturity, the accessory sex glands of the exposed animals weighed less than those of the controls (P=0.016). Surprisingly, the pooled sperm count of the exposed animals was significantly higher (P=0.017) than that of the unexposed animals. The anti-androgenic effects of Vin may have blocked the negative feedback mechanism of testosterone on the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, allowing for an increase in gonadotrophin release, and consequently increasing sperm production at puberty.

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

Nitric oxide is not involved in hepatocyte killing by neutrophils activated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucylphenylalanine or phorbol myristate acetate in vitro.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNS) have been implicated as cellular mediators of hepatic injury in models of inflammation in vivo. In vitro, hepatocyte killing by activated PMNs is mediated in part by proteases, but the role of nitric oxide is unknown. NO is produced by PMNs and hepatocytes and can act either to damage or protect in various models of toxicity. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that NO is important in PMN-mediated hepatocyte killing in vitro. Freshly isolated hepatocytes from rat liver and PMNs elicited from rat peritoneum were cultured together or alone for 16 hours. Both cell types spontaneously released NO, estimated as its stable breakdown product, nitrite. Accumulation of nitrite in medium from hepatocyte cultures was augmented threefold by incubation with L-arginine and was completely inhibited by treatment with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine (NMA). Nitrite release in PMN cultures was unaffected by L-arginine addition and only partially inhibited by NMA. In PMN:hepatocyte cocultures (10:1), accumulation of nitrite was additive relative to cells cultured separately. Incubation with NMA blocked nitrite production completely in cocultures, whereas L-arginine caused a two-fold increase in nitrite. Addition of PMN stimulants, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), caused increased release of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity into medium from hepatocytes cultured with PMNs but not from hepatocytes cultured alone; this indicated that injury to hepatocytes was due to activated PMNS. However, neither FMLP nor PMA significantly altered nitrite release from cocultures. Despite the alterations in NO production induced by addition of NMA or L-arginine, neither agent altered the release of ALT from hepatocytes in coculture with activated PMNs. Thus, PMNs and hepatocytes provided NO in vitro, but neither suppression nor elevation of NO production affected PMN-mediated hepatocyte killing. Accordingly, NO is not involved in the mechanisms by which FMLP-or PMA-stimulated PMNs mediate hepatocyte injury in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Estimating the minimum therapeutically effective dose of a compound via regression modelling and percentile estimation.

Estimation of the minimum effective dose (MED) of a compound from a typical placebo-controlled dose-response study can be carried out in several ways. Current approaches compare treatment doses against a placebo dose via selected contrasts to determine the lowest dose level at which the contrast is statistically significant. Ruberg shows how this approach works for various choices of contrasts. Instead, the MTED (minimum therapeutically effective dose) might be defined as the lowest dose level that yields a therapeutic benefit to patients, on average, or to a given percentage of patients. One could use a lower confidence limit for the mean approach to determine the dose yielding (on average) a therapeutic benefit via regression modelling of the continuous treatment dose response. More importantly, a patient relevant approach would be to actually estimate regression percentiles or construct regression tolerance intervals. Such an approach addresses the question 'What percentage of patients are receiving therapeutic (yet safe) doses', instead of just knowing that a dose is effective 'on average', and thus would help to understand the distribution of patient responses at a given treatment dose. This further enables one to better evaluate the efficacy versus safety trade-off as dose increases and provides better guidelines for prescribed dose levels.

Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1997

Bleomycin induces strain-dependent alterations in the pattern of epithelial cell-specific marker expression in mouse lung.

Clinical use of the antineoplastic agent bleomycin is restricted due to pulmonary toxicity. Murine models of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis have been developed in an attempt to understand the mechanisms involved in the fibrotic process. Studies have shown that the alveolar epithelium is damaged early after bleomycin treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern of gene expression in airway and alveolar epithelial cells after bleomycin exposure in mice that vary in susceptibility to bleomycin-induced fibrosis. Surfactant protein C (SPC) and Clara cell-specific protein (CC10) mRNA were used as cell-specific markers of alveolar type II cells and airway Clara cells, respectively. Mice were treated with a single intratracheal dose of bleomycin and the pattern of SPC and CC10 transcripts was examined by in situ hybridization. The pattern of SPC mRNA 28 days after treatment was uniform in controls and resistant mice but exhibited a patchy appearance in sensitive mice. Bleomycin treatment also resulted in a strain-dependent loss of CC10 mRNA-expressing cells. In sensitive mice 28 days after treatment, SPC mRNA was ectopically expressed in the distal bronchiolar epithelium in a morphologically distinct cell type. Serial sections revealed that these cells either coexpressed CC10 mRNA or were located adjacent to CC10 mRNA-containing cells. This unique cell population may represent a progenitor cell type important in epithelial repair. The strain-dependent changes in CC10 and SPC gene expression after bleomycin treatment are suggestive of a role for the epithelium in pulmonary fibrosis versus repair.

Animals↗