Acute cigarette smoke exposure increases alveolar permeability in rabbits

Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985 Aug;132(2):321-5. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1985.132.2.321.

Abstract

We measured lung clearance of aerosolized technetium-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (99mTcDTPA) as an index of alveolar epithelial permeability in rabbits exposed to cigarette smoke. Eighteen rabbits were randomly assigned to 3 equal-size groups: control, all smoke exposure (ASE), and limited smoke exposure (LSE). Cigarette or sham smoke was delivered by syringe in a series of 5, 10, 20, and 30 tidal volume breaths with a 20-min counting period between each subset of breaths to determine 99mTcDTPA biologic half-life (T1/2). Mean T1/2 minimum (i.e., the smallest T1/2 observed) was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) for ASE and LSE rabbits than by control rabbits. We observed a significant difference at 20 and 30 breath exposures between the control and ASE group mean values (% baseline) for T1/2, arterial blood pressure, and peak airway pressure. A combination of light and electron microscopy showed focal alveolar edema and hemorrhage in the ASE and LSE groups but no alveolar-capillary membrane damage. In summary, acute cigarette smoke exposure increases alveolar permeability as measured by 99mTcDTPA clearance, but there was no detectable ultrastructural alteration of the alveolar-capillary membrane.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Capillary Permeability
  • Female
  • Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Hemorrhage / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / etiology
  • Lung Diseases / pathology
  • Male
  • Metabolic Clearance Rate
  • Neutrophils / pathology
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Permeability
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / blood supply
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / pathology
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / physiopathology*
  • Pulmonary Edema / etiology
  • Pulmonary Edema / pathology
  • Rabbits
  • Smoking*
  • Technetium
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate

Substances

  • Technetium
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate