Auswirkung einer inhalativen Stickstoffdioxidexposition der Ratte auf die pulmonalen Alveolarsepten unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des extrazellulären Fasergerüstes
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Philipps-Universität Marburg
Abstract
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) constitutes a worldwide
problem, mainly caused by smoking. At present COPD lacks therapeutic
options to ameliorate the morphological and functional changes to lung
tissue associated with the disease. The elucidation of COPD pathogenesis
and the testing of potential treatment strategies require the development of
an animal model. To this extent the following study was undertaken.
Male Fisher 344 Rats were exposed to 10 ppm of nitrogen dioxide for 3 or
21 days. The lungs of exposed animals were examined by transmission
electron microscopy and compared to tissues of rats lacking nitrogen
dioxide exposure.
The assay focused on the ultrastructure of alveolar walls, including
extracellular fibres. We observed inflammation, indicated by and increased
number of alveolar macrophages and increased alveolar volume, established
by an increase in type II pneumocytes after three days of NO2 treatment.
After 21 days of exposure we saw a change in the composition of
extracellular fibres. However, we did not observe any signs of emphysema.
Furthermore, the capillary endothelium appeared unchanged. However, the
NO2 exposed animals also consumed significantly less food than the control
group.
Whether the detected differences stem from nitrogen dioxide exposure or
were secondary to reduced food consumption could not be determined.
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This item has been published with the following license: In Copyright