thiourea and alpha-naphthyl-thiourea

Oxidative injury to the pulmonary endothelium plays and important role in lung pathology. Oxidants (that accumulate in lung tissue upon hyperoxia or hypoxia, or are released from activated leukocytes) can destroy endothelial cells. Investigation of the mechanisms of oxidative endothelial injury and the choice of valid criteria with which to measure these pathological deviations are therefore of great importance. Among the criteria used to assess endothelial injury (e.g. accumulation of the products of lipid peroxidation, enhancement of pulmonary microvascular permeability, morphological changes), monitoring of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is of great interest because it is associated with the endothelial surface and thus reflects endothelial status. Assessment of lung rather than serum ACE activity is the best indicator of endothelial injury. For a comprehensive evaluation of endothelial status, not only total ACE activity in lung tissue but also ACE accessibility to circulating ligands should be monitored. Radiolabelled ACE substrates have been used as ligands in the perfusion of isolated lungs of experimental animals. Radiolabelled monoclonal antibody (Mab) to ACE has been proposed as an alternative ligand, because a drastic decrease in uptake of this Mab by the lungs upon lung injury has been shown. This approach is extremely sensitive: a decrease in antibody uptake occurs even upon mild (nonoedematous) oxidative lung injury, when other indicators, such as lung and serum ACE activity, accumulation of the products of lipid peroxidation, and microvascular permeability, remain unchanged. The use of radiolabelled Mab allows the pulmonary microvascular status to be monitored by gamma-scintigraphy.

Topics: Biomarkers; Endothelium; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Lipid Peroxidation; Lung; Lung Diseases; Oxygen; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Thiourea

Topics: Air Pollutants; Animals; Bleomycin; Carbon Tetrachloride; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning; DNA; Dogs; Free Radicals; Haplorhini; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; In Vitro Techniques; Lipid Peroxides; Lung; Lung Diseases; Mice; NADP; Nitrofurantoin; Nitrous Oxide; Oxidation-Reduction; Ozone; Paraquat; Rats; Superoxides; Thiourea

This article is a review of the current literature concerning the possible involvement of oxygen radicals in the development of pulmonary edema. The article focuses on changes in capillary endothelium caused by many different imposed experimental conditions that may be related to the generation of O2, OH. or H2O2. Data from our laboratory show that scavengers such as superoxide dismutase, dimethylsulfoxide, and catalase as well as leukocyte depletion provide partial protection to the very caustic alpha-naphthylthiourea. The literature concerning the possible involvement of leukocyte or tissue generation of oxygen radicals in the various forms of pulmonary edema is combined into a simple model that may explain why pathologic tissues show variable responses to compounds that should either scavenge the oxygen radicals or prevent leukocyte involvement.

Topics: Capillary Permeability; Catalase; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Free Radicals; Humans; Leukocyte Count; Models, Biological; Oxygen; Pulmonary Edema; Superoxide Dismutase; Thiourea

We aimed to observe the possible effects of melatonin (MLT) deprivation (pinealectomy) and exogenous MLT administration on pulmonary edema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), a toxic chemical agent, in rats. Seventy animals were assigned to seven groups: control, sham pinealectomy (PINX), PINX, ANTU (10 mg/kg intraperitoneal on day 30), ANTU + MLT (10 mg/kg/day i.p. for 30 days), ANTU + PINX, and ANTU + PINX + MLT.In this study, pleural effusion (PE) formation, lung weight/body weight (LW/BW) and PE/BW ratios (fluid accumulation and weight values in the lungs) increase detected. Pre-ANTU MLT administration led to significant decreases in PE, LW/BW, and PE/BW levels. The inhibited glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and high malondialdehyde (MDA) levels that ANTU increase lipid peroxidation in the study. MLT administration eliminated oxidative stress by reducing MDA and ameliorating GSH and SOD levels.Pre-ANTU MLT administration led to a significant decrease in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in the lung when compared to the ANTU group without MLT administration. Post-pinealectomy ANTU administration significantly increased IL-1β and TNF-α levels when compared to ANTU and MLT administration without pinealectomy. Diffused inflammatory cell infiltration, interstitial pulmonary edema, and histopathological congestion were observed after the administration of ANTU. Severity of the damage was elevated in the ANTU + PINX group. MLT treatment regressed pulmonary effusion and edema and improves lung structure. In brief, the findings suggested that MLT inhibited proinflammatory mediators and could serve as a therapeutic agent to prevent inflammatory disorders.

Topics: Animals; Melatonin; Pinealectomy; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH), a progressive, incurable, and deadly disease, predominantly develops in women. Growing body of evidence suggest that dysregulated estradiol (E2) metabolism influences the development of PH and that some of the biological effects of E2 are mediated by its major non-estrogenic metabolite, 2-metyhoxyestradiol (2ME). The objective of this study was to examine effects of 2ME in chronic hypoxia (CH)-induced PH and alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU)-induced acute lung injury and PH. In addition, we investigated the effects of exposure to different levels of CH on development of PH. Chronic exposure to 15% or 10% oxygen produced similar increases in right ventricle peak systolic pressure (RVPSP) and pulmonary vascular remodeling, but oxygen concentration-dependent increase in hematocrit. Notably, right ventricle (RV) hypertrophy correlated with level of hypoxia and hematocrit, rather than with magnitude of RVPSP. The latter suggests that, in addition to increased afterload, hypoxia (via increased hematocrit) significantly contributes to RV hypertrophy in CH model of PH. In CH-PH rats, preventive and curative 2ME treatments reduced both elevated RVPSP and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Curative treatment with 2ME was more effective in reducing hematocrit and right ventricular hypertrophy, as compared to preventive treatment. Single ANTU injection produced lung injury, i.e., increased lungs weight and induced pleural effusion. Treatment with 2ME significantly reduced pleural effusion and, more importantly, eliminated acute mortality induced by ANTU (33% vs 0%, ANTU vs. ANTU+2ME group). Chronic treatment with ANTU induced PH and RV hypertrophy and increased lungs weight. 2-ME significantly attenuated severity of disease (i.e., reduced RVPSP, RV hypertrophy and pulmonary vascular injury). This study demonstrates that 2ME has beneficial effects in chronic hypoxia- and acute lung injury-induced PH and provides preclinical justification for clinical evaluation of 2ME in pulmonary hypertension.

Topics: 2-Methoxyestradiol; Animals; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Hypoxia; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Thiourea

Alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), a rodenticide induces lung toxicity. Chrysin a flavonoid possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of chrysin against ANTU-induced pulmonary edema (PE) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in laboratory rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were used to induce PE (ANTU, 10 mg/kg, ip) and PAH (ANTU, 5 mg/kg, ip, 4 weeks). Animals were treated with chrysin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and various biochemical, molecular, and histological parameters were evaluated. Acute administration of ANTU induces PE revealed by significant (P < 0.05) increase in relative lung weight, pleural effusion volume, lung edema, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell counts, total protein, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), whereas pretreatment with chrysin (20 and 40 mg/kg, ip) significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated these ANTU-induced biochemical and histological alterations. Repeated administration of ANTU caused induction of PAH evaluated by significant (P < 0.05) alterations in electrocardiographic, hemodynamic changes, and left ventricular function, whereas chrysin (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated these alterations. ANTU-induced hematological and serum biochemical (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, LDH, and creatinine kinase MB) alterations were significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited by chrysin. It also significantly (P < 0.05) decreased elevated levels of oxido-nitrosative stress in the right ventricle (RV) and lung. Chrysin significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated downregulated endothelial nitric oxide synthase and upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA and protein expressions both in the RV and pulmonary artery. Chrysin inhibited ANTU-induced PE and PAH via modulation of inflammatory responses (5-HT, LDH, and GGT), oxido-nitrosative stress, and VEGF and eNOs levels.

Topics: Animals; Flavonoids; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Lung; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Pulmonary Artery; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Thiourea; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

In this study, we developed a novel bioelectronic taste sensor for the detection of specific bitter substances. A human bitter taste receptor, hT2R4, was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), which was used as the primary recognition element. A simple and low-cost electrochemical device based on ITO-based electrolyte-semiconductor (ES) structure was innovatively employed as the transducer to assess bacterial metabolic consequences of receptor activation in real time. An apparent increase in extracellular acidification rate was observed, which was resulted from the triggering of hT2R4 receptors by their target ligand of denatonium. The sensor showed dose-dependent responses to denatonuim ranging from 50 nM to 500 nM, while non-bioengineered bacteria without hT2R4 receptors exhibited negligible responses to the same stimulus. In addition, the specificity of the proposed taste biosensor was verified using other typical bitter substances such as quinine and alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). This research provides a simple and inexpensive approach for the construction of bioelectronic taste sensors.

Topics: Base Sequence; Biosensing Techniques; Electrochemical Techniques; Escherichia coli; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Quinine; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Thiourea

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a syndrome of inflammation and increased permeability of the blood-gas barrier. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite intensive research, treatments remain limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective efficacy of a specific peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligand, Ro5-4864, in experimental models of ALI in rats.. ALI was generated by four different methods: (1) intravenous (tail vein) injection of Escherichia coli (0111:B4) lipopolysaccaride (LPS), (2) cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), (3) mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion, and (4) intraperitoneal injection of α-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). Ro5-4864 was administered to rats intraperitoneally 30 min before ANTU and LPS administration or intravenously 15 min before reperfusion and CLP. The levels of pulmonary edema (lung weight/body weight ratio) and pleural effusion were measured, and the severity of ALI was scored (0-3).. Ro5-4864 showed a dose-dependent and significant prophylactic effect on the ANTU-induced lung weight/body weight and pleural effusion/body weight ratios and histopathologic scores. Ro5-4864 also showed significant prophylactic effects against the LPS-induced lung weight/body weight ratio and histopathologic scores. Ro5-4864 significantly decreased the intra-alveolar edema and perialveolar hemorrhage scores in the CLP group. However, we found no prophylactic effect of Ro5-4864 on mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion-induced ALI at the dose used (2 mg/kg intraperitoneally).. These results have demonstrated, for the first time, a protective effect of Ro5-4864 on experimental ALI induced by ANTU, LPS, and CLP. Ro5-4864 might be a useful therapeutic agent for lung diseases, including ALI, in intensive care patients.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Animals; Benzodiazepinones; Disease Models, Animal; GABA-A Receptor Agonists; Lipopolysaccharides; Lung; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, GABA-A; Survival Rate; Thiourea

Acute lung injury is an inflammatory syndrome that increases the permeability of the blood-gas barrier, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Despite intensive research, treatment options remain limited. We investigated the protective efficacy of tezosentan, a novel, dual endothelin receptor antagonist, in an experimental model of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU)-induced acute lung injury in rats. ANTU was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected into rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Tezosentan was injected 30 minutes before ANTU was subcutaneously (s.c.) injected at doses of 2, 10, or 30 mg/kg, 60 minutes before ANTU was injected at doses of 2, 10, or 30 mg/kg (i.p.), and 90 minutes before ANTU at a dose of 10 mg/kg (i.p.). Four hours later, the lung weight/body weight (LW/BW) ratio and pleural effusion (PE) were measured. When injected 30 minutes before ANTU at doses of 2, 10, or 30 mg/kg (s.c.), tezosentan had no effect on lung pathology. When injected 60 minutes before ANTU at doses of 2, 10, or 30 mg/kg (i.p.) or 90 minutes before ANTU (10 mg/kg, i.p.), tezosentan significantly decreased the PE/BW ratio and had a prophylactic effect on PE formation at all doses. Therefore, tezosentan may attenuate lung injury. Furthermore, its acute and inhibitory effects on fluid accumulation were more effective in the pleural cavity than in the interstitial compartment in this experimental model.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; Lung; Male; Pyridines; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tetrazoles; Thiourea

We assessed the effects of dexmedetomidine in a rat model of α-naphthylthiourea (ANTU)-induced acute lung injury.. Forty Wistar Albino male rats weighing 200-240 g were divided into 5 groups (n = 8 each), including a control group. Thus, there were one ANTU group and three dexmedetomidine groups (10-, 50-, and 100-μg/kg treatment groups), plus a control group. The control group provided the normal base values. The rats in the ANTU group were given 10 mg/kg of ANTU intraperitoneally and the three treatment groups received 10, 50, or 100 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine intraperitoneally 30 min before ANTU application. The rat body weight (BW), pleural effusion (PE), and lung weight (LW) of each group were measured 4 h after ANTU administration. The histopathologic changes were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining.. The mean PE, LW, LW/BW, and PE/BW measurements in the ANTU group were significantly greater than in the control groups and all dexmedetomidine treatment groups (P < 0.05). There were also significant decreases in the mean PE, LW, LW/BW and PE/BW values in the dexmedetomidine 50-μg/kg group compared with those in the ANTU group (P < 0.01). The inflammation, hemorrhage, and edema scores in the ANTU group were significantly greater than those in the control or dexmedetomidine 50-μg/kg group (P < 0.01).. Dexmedetomidine treatment has demonstrated a potential benefit by preventing ANTU-induced acute lung injury in an experimental rat model. Dexmedetomidine could have a potential protective effect on acute lung injury in intensive care patients.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; Animals; Dexmedetomidine; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Interactions; Lung; Male; Pleural Effusion; Pneumonia; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodenticides; Thiourea

A naphthylthiourea-modified cyclodextrin (1) and its urea derivative (2) were synthesized, and their fluorescence behaviors in the presence of various metal ions were investigated. Significantly, 1 showed a highly sensitive and selective fluorescence sensing ability for Hg(2+) over other metal ions in both water and living cells. That is, the addition of Hg(2+) to an aqueous solution of 1 gave a significantly enhanced fluorescence at ~380 nm. In contrast, the addition of other metal ions induced negligible fluorescence changes. The possible mechanism may be due to the transformation of thiourea to urea by Hg(2+)-induced desulfurization in water.

Topics: Coloring Agents; Cyclodextrins; Fluorescent Dyes; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Mercury; Molecular Structure; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Thiourea; Urea; Water

We have previously demonstrated that adenosine plus homocysteine enhanced endothelial basal barrier function and protected against agonist-induced barrier dysfunction in vitro through attenuation of RhoA activation by inhibition of isoprenylcysteine-O-carboxyl methyltransferase. In the current study, we tested the effect of elevated adenosine on pulmonary endothelial barrier function in vitro and in vivo. We noted that adenosine alone dose dependently enhanced endothelial barrier function. While adenosine receptor A(1) or A(3) antagonists were ineffective, an adenosine transporter inhibitor, NBTI, or a combination of DPMX and MRS1754, antagonists for adenosine receptors A(2A) and A(2B), respectively, partially attenuated the barrier-enhancing effect of adenosine. Similarly, inhibition of both A(2A) and A(2B) receptors with siRNA also blunted the effect of adenosine on barrier function. Interestingly, inhibition of both transporters and A(2A)/A(2B) receptors completely abolished adenosine-induced endothelial barrier enhancement. The adenosine receptor A(2A) and A(2B) agonist, NECA, also significantly enhanced endothelial barrier function. These data suggest that both adenosine transporters and A(2A) and A(2B) receptors are necessary for exerting maximal effect of adenosine on barrier enhancement. We also found that adenosine enhanced Rac1 GTPase activity and overexpression of dominant negative Rac1 attenuated adenosine-induced increases in focal adhesion complexes. We further demonstrated that elevation of cellular adenosine by inhibition of adenosine deaminase with Pentostatin significantly enhanced endothelial basal barrier function, an effect that was also associated with enhanced Rac1 GTPase activity and with increased focal adhesion complexes and adherens junctions. Finally, using a non-inflammatory acute lung injury (ALI) model induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea, we found that administration of Pentostatin, which elevated lung adenosine level by 10-fold, not only attenuated the development of edema before ALI but also partially reversed edema after ALI. The data suggest that adenosine deaminase inhibition may be useful in treatment of pulmonary edema in settings of ALI.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Adenosine; Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors; Adherens Junctions; Animals; Cattle; Endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular; Focal Adhesions; Lung; Male; Nucleoside Transport Proteins; Pentostatin; Pulmonary Edema; rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptor, Adenosine A2A; Receptor, Adenosine A2B; Receptors, Adenosine A2; Thiourea

RhoA is an important modulator of endothelial monolayer permeability. Posttranslational carboxyl methylation of small GTPases, such as RhoA and Ras, regulates subcellular localization and GTPase activity, resulting in altered cellular function. In this study, we investigated the role of RhoA carboxyl methylation in modulating endothelial monolayer permeability. We found that inhibition of isoprenylcysteine-O-carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT) with adenosine plus homocysteine (Ado/HC) or N-acetyl-S-geranylgeranyl-L-cysteine (AGGC) decreased RhoA carboxyl methylation and activation, which correlated with decreased monolayer permeability of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC). Conversely, BPAEC stably overexpressing ICMT had enhanced endothelial monolayer permeability, associated with elevated RhoA carboxyl methylation and activation. These results suggest that ICMT modulates endothelial monolayer permeability by altering RhoA carboxyl methylation and activation. In addition, we demonstrated that adenosine deaminase inhibitor not only attenuated, but also rescued, lung edema induced by a non-inflammatory edemagenic agent. Our data suggest that increasing intracellular adenosine is a useful therapeutic strategy against diseases characterized by increased vascular permeability.

Topics: Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors; Animals; Capillary Permeability; Cattle; Cell Line; Endothelial Cells; Enzyme Inhibitors; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Biological; Protein Methyltransferases; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Pulmonary Artery; Recombinant Proteins; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein; Signal Transduction; Thiourea; Transfection

This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of morphine in pulmonary oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which is a well-known noxious chemical agent in the lung. Injection of ANTU (15 mg/kg i.p.) produced pulmonary oedema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight ratio and pleural effusion reaching a maximum within 4 h in rat. Administration of morphine prior to ANTU significantly inhibited to pulmonary oedema with a dose-dependent manner. The protective effect of morphine is prevented by peripheral opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone methiodide. ANTU-treated rats were shown positive by inducible nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemical staining. There was no staining in the control group. On the other hand, the degree of staining was markedly reduced in tissue sections by morphine. These results suggest that previous administration of subcutaneous morphine has preventive effect on ANTU-induced pulmonary inflammatory reaction and its effect mediated via peripheral opioid receptors. Application of naloxone with ANTU has no effect on the lung parameters indicating that endogenous opioids do not modulate ANTU-induced damage.

Topics: Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Lung; Male; Morphine; Naloxone; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Pulmonary Edema; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Rats; Thiourea

The story of how World War II stimulated the development of DDT, and the ensuing postwar dependence on such chemical insecticides, is well known. However, less recognition has been given to the wartime efforts to synthesize new rodenticides to fight rat-borne epidemics. Baltimore, Maryland served as the site for field tests of the powerful new compound alpha naphthyl thiourea (ANTU) from 1942-1946. This experimental campaign sparked debates over the efficacy of controlling rats via chemical warfare instead of environmental sanitation, which led to the ironic conclusion that urban rat control demanded an ecological, rather than technological, approach.

Topics: Animals; Baltimore; Environmental Health; History, 20th Century; Humans; Military Medicine; Propaganda; Rats; Rodent Control; Rodent Diseases; Rodenticides; Thiourea; United States; Warfare

A novel chemiluminescence method for the determination of antu has been developed based on the reaction between potassium permanganate in acid medium with this rat-poison in the presence of formaldehyde as an emission enhancer. The main feature of the system used is that the recording of the whole chemiluminescence intensity-vs-time profiles can be obtained, using the stopped-flow technique in a continuous-flow system. This enables the use of three quantitative parameters adjustable via software settings, one of them a typically kinetic parameter, such as rate of the light-decay reaction, and the others conventional parameters, such as maximum emission intensity and total emission area, which are proportional to the analyte concentration. The optimum chemical conditions for the chemiluminescence emission were investigated. The effect of common emission enhancers, such as formic acid, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, acetaldehyde, quinine, fluorescein, rhodamine B, and rhodamine 6G, was studied. The parameters selected were sulfuric acid 4.0 mol L(-)(1), permanganate 0.1 mmol L(-)(1), and formaldehyde 1.0 mol L(-)(1). The calibration graphs obtained with each one of the measurement parameters were linear for the concentration range from 0.05 to 3.00 microg mL(-)(1). The detection limits ranged from 0.005 to 0.010 microg mL(-)(1), and RSD values (n = 10) of 0.99-1.79% at a 0.30 microg mL(-)(1) concentration level and 1.71-2.22% at a 1.0 microg mL(-)(1) concentration level were obtained. The present chemiluminescence procedures were applied to the determination of antu in different kinds of samples, such as river water, wheat, barley, and oat grain samples. Recovery values not significantly different from the spiked amount were found for these determinations.

Topics: Avena; Edible Grain; Hordeum; Luminescent Measurements; Potassium Permanganate; Rodenticides; Solutions; Thiourea; Triticum; Water

Oxidation of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) results in the production of modified LDLs. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol plays a role on the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction. This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of the oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein in the lung edema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which is a well-known noxious chemical agent on the lung endothelium. When ANTU injected intraperitoneally into rats (15 mg kg(-1)), it produced lung edema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight (LW/BW) ratio and pleural effusion (PE) reaching a maximum within 4 h. A significant lung edema was observed 4 h after intraperitoneally injection of alpha-naphthylthiourea when compared with olive oil-injected control rats. On microscopic examination of alpha-naphthylthiourea-treated rats were shown to have severe lung injury, while no change was observed in olive oil-treated control rats. While there were no staining in control lungs, positive oxidized low-density lipoproteins immune-fluorescent staining were observed in lung edema group. Our study showed that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) accumulated in ANTU-induced lung damage. This is the first study in which accumulation of oxLDL molecules in the intact lung tissue were shown by fluorescent immune-staining method in experimental lung edema. The potential role of oxLDL in this pathology are still under investigation.

Topics: Animals; Female; Lipoproteins, LDL; Lung; Male; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Physiopathological discrepancies exist between the most widely used models of pulmonary hypertension (PH), namely monocrotaline- and hypoxia-induced PH. The development of a new model could help in the understanding of underlying mechanisms. Repeated alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) injections (5 mg/kg weekly, 3 wk) induced pulmonary vascular remodeling, which was associated with development of PH and right ventricular hypertrophy. ANTU followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 25 microgram. kg(-1). day(-1) subcutaneously, 3 days/wk) induced higher pulmonary arterial pressures and right ventricular hypertrophy than ANTU alone. Lidocaine, which inhibits neutrophil functions, inhibited PH exacerbation by G-CSF. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression, measured to assess ANTU-related endothelial toxicity, decreased significantly in ANTU-treated rats and fell even more sharply when G-CSF was given. This occurred despite a significant increase in vascular endothelial cell growth factor expression in lung and right ventricle in rats given ANTU alone and even more in rats given ANTU plus G-CSF. Repeated ANTU administration induces PH with vascular remodeling that can be further aggravated by the neutrophil activator G-CSF.

Topics: Animals; Blood Vessels; Blotting, Western; Body Weight; Chronic Disease; Drug Synergism; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Hypertrophy; Lung; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Organ Size; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Thiourea; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is widely prescribed to hasten recovery from cancer chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and has been reported to induce pulmonary toxicity. However, circumstances and mechanisms of this toxicity remain poorly known.. To reproduce a routine situation in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, we investigated the mechanisms underlying granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced exacerbation of alpha-naphthylthiourea-related pulmonary edema.. Laboratory research unit.. Male specific-pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats.. The effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor given alone or after alpha-naphthylthiourea used to induce acute lung injury were investigated.. Lung injury was assessed based on neutrophil sequestration (myeloperoxidase activity in lung tissue) and influx into alveolar spaces (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell quantification) and on edema formation (wet/dry lung weight ratio) and alveolar protein concentration into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta were measured in serum, lung homogenates, and isolated alveolar macrophage supernatants. In control rats, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (25 microg/kg) significantly elevated circulating neutrophil counts without producing alveolar recruitment or pulmonary edema. alpha-Naphthylthiourea significantly increased the wet/dry lung weight ratio (4.68 +/- 0.04 vs. 4.38 +/- 0.07 in controls, p=.04) and induced alveolar protein leakage. Adding granulocyte colony-stimulating factor to alpha-naphthylthiourea exacerbated pulmonary edema, causing neutrophil sequestration in pulmonary vessels, significantly increasing lung myeloperoxidase activity (12.7 +/- 2.0 mOD/min/g vs. 1.1 +/- 0.4 mOD/min/g with alpha-naphthylthiourea alone; p<.0001), and increasing proinflammatory cytokine secretion. alpha-Naphthylthiourea-related pulmonary edema was not exacerbated by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor during cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia or after lidocaine, which antagonizes neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta concentrations in alveolar macrophage supernatants and lung homogenates were significantly higher with alpha-naphthylthiourea + granulocyte colony-stimulating factor than with either agent alone, and anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies abolished granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-related exacerbation of alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced pulmonary edema. In rats with cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia, tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in alveolar macrophage supernatants and lung homogenates were significantly decreased compared with rats without neutropenia.. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-related pulmonary toxicity may involve migration of neutrophils to vascular spaces, adhesion of neutrophils to previously injured endothelial cells, and potentiation of proinflammatory cytokine expression.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Cyclophosphamide; Cytokines; Drug Interactions; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Lung; Male; Neutropenia; Neutrophils; Peroxidase; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Rodenticides; Thiourea

This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of urethane, pentobarbital sodium and thiopental sodium anaesthesia in the lung oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which is a well known noxious chemical agent in the lung. ANTU when injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) into rats (10 mg x kg (-1) i.p.) produced lung oedema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight (LW/BW) ratio and pleural effusion (PE) reaching a maximum within 4 h. Administration of urethane prior to ANTU, at doses of 100 and 200mg(100g)(-1), elicited a significant and dose-dependent inhibition in LW/BW ratio and PE. Thiopental sodium at doses of 25, 50 mg x kg (-1), also produced a significant and dose-dependent inhibition of both parameters. Prior i.p. injection of pentobarbital sodium at a dose of 40 mg x kg (-1) elicited a significant inhibition in both parameters. These results suggest that i.p. urethane, thiopental sodium and pentobarbital sodium pretreatment have a prophylactic effect on ANTU-induced lung injury in rats. The possible role of the anaesthetics in lung oedema induced by ANTU and the possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Male; Organ Size; Pentobarbital; Pleural Effusion; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiopental; Thiourea; Urethane

Neutrophil-derived oxygen free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) has been shown to inhibit oxygen free radicals production by activated neutrophils. Thus, we investigated whether FDP would attenuate formation of pulmonary edema in anesthetized dogs injected with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). Hemodynamic studies involved measurements of left ventricular systolic and end-diasystolic pressures (LVSP and LVEDP), pulmonary artery pressure (PaP), heart rate (HR), and cardiac output (CO). Mean wet weight to dry weight ratios of lung tissue samples were calculated. Following baseline measurements, dogs were injected intravenously (IV) with ANTU 5 mg / kg (n = 16) and 10 mg / kg (n = 8) and half of the dogs were randomly selected to receive 75 mg / kg FDP (10%) and subsequent infusion of 7 mg / kg / min. The rest were given 0.9% NaCl in the same manner. Four hours after ANTU administration, the animals were euthanatized. Except for decline in the CO (nonsignificant), no significant changes in systemic hemodynamics within and between the groups were noted. In the FDP group, PaP and pulmonary arteriolar resistance (PaR) remained unchanged. In the saline group, PaP increased from 12.5 +/- 2.44 to 21.8 +/- 3.14 mm Hg (P < .001) and PaR from 166 +/- 29 to 468 +/- 74 dynes. cm / sec(5) (P < .005). During the study LVDEP, PaO(2), PaCO(2), and hematocrit did not change significantly within and between the groups. The lungs mean wet weight to dry weight ratios for the sham-operated dogs were 4.20 +/- 0.41, for the FDP group 4.32 +/- 0.59 and 6.22 +/- 1.37 for the saline group (P < .0005). These data indicate that FDP protected the lung from ANTU-induced injury.

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Drug Administration Schedule; Fructosediphosphates; Infusions, Intravenous; Injections, Intravenous; Pulmonary Edema; Rodenticides; Thiourea

The hypothesis that the changes in the respiratory system pressure- volume (PV) curve during pulmonary edema mainly reflect distal airway obstruction was investigated in rats. Normal rats had a well-defined upper inflection point (UIP) at low airway pressure. Airway occlusion by liquid instillation decreased compliance (Crs) and the volume (Vuip) of the UIP, and increased end-inspiratory pressure. The same changes were observed during the progression of edema produced by high volume ventilation (HV). Changes in Vuip and in Crs produced by HV were correlated with edema severity in normal rats or rats with lungs preinjured with alpha-naphthylthiourea. Vuip and Crs changes were proportional, reflecting compression of the PV curve on the volume axis and suggesting reduction of the amount of ventilatable lung at low airway pressure. In keeping with this explanation, the lower Vuip and Crs were before HV, the more severe HV-induced edema was in alpha-naphthylthiourea-injected rats. When edema was profuse, PV curves displayed a marked lower inflection point (LIP), the UIP at low pressure disappeared but another was seen at high volume above the LIP, and the correlation between Vuip changes and edema severity was lost. These observations may have clinical relevance in the context of the "open lung" strategy.. ventilator-induced lung injury; respiratory mechanics; acute respiratory distress syndrome

Topics: Airway Resistance; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Inspiratory Capacity; Lung Compliance; Lung Volume Measurements; Male; Predictive Value of Tests; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Regression Analysis; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Severity of Illness Index; Thiourea

The rodenticide alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) causes pulmonary edema and pleural effusion that leads to death via pulmonary insufficiency. Rats become resistant to the lethal effect of ANTU if they are first exposed to a small, nonlethal dose of ANTU. Young rats are also resistant to ANTU. The mechanism by which rats develop resistance by a prior, small dose exposure has yet to be determined. Growth factor induced-pulmonary hyperplasia has been demonstrated to attenuate ANTU-induced lung leak. We hypothesized that a small dose of ANTU protects against a large dose through pulmonary cell hyperplasia induced by the protective dose. Furthermore, we hypothesized that this hyperplasia is associated with altered transcription of growth factors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (175-225 g) were treated with a low dose of ANTU (5 mg ANTU/kg; ANTU(L)) 24 h before challenge with a 100% lethal dose of ANTU (70 mg ANTU/kg; ANTU(H)) resulting in 100% protection against the lethal effect of ANTU(H). ANTU(L) protection against ANTU(H) lasted for 5 days, slowly phased out, all being lost by day 20. Injury was assessed by estimating pulmonary vascular permeability and through histopathological examination. ANTU(H) alone resulted in an increase in pulmonary edema leading to animal death. However, injury was prevented if the rats were first treated with ANTU(L). There was a stimulation of pulmonary cell hyperplasia in the lungs of ANTU(L) treated rats as measured by [3H]-thymidine and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Treatment with the antimitotic agent colchicine abolished ANTU(L)-induced resistance to ANTU(H). ANTU resistant rats were also resistant to the lethal effect of paraquat. Paraquat is not taken up by pneumocytes if they are undergoing hyperplasia. ANTU(L) administration resulted in an up regulation of gene transcription for keratinocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, keratinocyte growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor as determined through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. A significant increase in transforming growth factor-alpha was not observed. These findings collectively suggest that ANTU(L)-induced pulmonary cell hyperplasia underlies resistance to ANTU(H). Furthermore, the stimulation of hyperplasia may be due to altered growth factor and growth factor receptor expressions.

Topics: Animals; Capillary Permeability; Cell Nucleus; Colchicine; Drug Resistance; Herbicides; Hyperplasia; Lung Diseases; Male; Mitosis; Paraquat; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rodenticides; Thiourea; Thymidine; Time Factors

Pleural fluid (PF) proteins either derive from serum by diffusion or are locally secreted within the pleural space. Another hypothetical origin is a leakage of lung secretory proteins across the visceral pleura. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the occurrence, sources, and determinants in PF of CC16, a small-size and readily diffusible protein of 16 kDa secreted by bronchiolar Clara cells. CC16 concentration was determined by a sensitive latex immunoassay in serum and PF of 117 subjects (86 exudates and 31 transudates) and, for purpose of comparison, in ascites samples from another group of 38 subjects (7 exudates and 31 transudates). CC16 was also studied in serum and PF of normal rats and in rats with pleural exudate induced by alpha-naphthyl-thiourea (ANTU). The levels of CC16 in PF and ascites were highly correlated with that in serum, suggesting a diffusional exchange across the pleural/blood and peritoneal/blood barriers. Whereas CC16 occurs at similar levels in ascites and serum, the protein was found to be more concentrated in PF than in serum in both humans (geometric mean in microg/L, 26.2 versus 14.6, p < 0.0001) and rats (213 versus 16.2, p < 0.001). A local synthesis of CC16 appeared unlikely in view of the lack of CC16-immunostaining in pleura of both species. The only plausible explanation for these findings is that CC16 in PF originates from two sources: diffusion from plasma and a leakage from the lung into the pleural space across the semipermeable visceral pleura. This interpretation is supported by a markedly increased leakage of CC16 in experimental exudates induced by ANTU and the finding of high CC16 concentrations in human transudates associated with congestive heart failure, two conditions wherein PF has been shown to arise from the interstitial spaces of the lung.

Topics: Aged; Animals; Ascites; Biomarkers; Blood Proteins; Bronchi; Creatinine; Diffusion; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Exudates and Transudates; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Lung; Male; Middle Aged; Peritoneum; Phospholipases A; Pleura; Pleural Effusion; Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Smoking; Thiourea; Uteroglobin

Several methodologies have been developed to assess alveolocapillary membrane permeability in acute lung injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of FITC-dextran compared with radioactive tracers to assess lung permeability alterations. After intraperitoneal administration of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU, 50 mg/kg) or DMSO-ANTU vehicle, the animals were euthanized and their lungs were studied in an isolated-lung preparation. FITC-dextran or radiolabeled tracers were added to the perfusate. At 2 h the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from the ANTU group showed a significantly greater amount of fluorescence in the supernatant after centrifugation of BAL fluid compared with the DMSO group. Consistent results were observed with the radioactive tracers: there was an increase in extravascular albumin space and extravascular lung water compared with the control group. No cleavage of the FITC from the dextran molecule was evident by chromatography comparing samples recovered from the BAL fluid to the pure FITC-dextran molecule. In conclusion, measurement of FITC-dextran in the supernatant of BAL fluid after intravascular administration is a reliable method of assessing lung permeability changes in vivo and ex vivo.

Topics: Animals; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Capillary Permeability; Cell Count; Dextrans; Edema; Erythrocytes; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Intravenous; Lung; Pulmonary Circulation; Rats; Serum Albumin; Thiourea

A mouse liver cDNA clone, MFMO1, coding for a flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) was isolated. This cDNA clone encoded a protein of 532 amino acids. Based upon its predicted amino acid sequence, this clone was assumed to belong to the FMO1 subfamily. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 94, 84, 83, and 83% identity with FMO1s of rats, pigs, rabbits and humans, respectively, while it showed only 50-59% identity with human FMO3 and FMO4, rabbit FMO2, FMO3, FMO4 and FMO5, and guinea-pig FMO2. RNA blot analysis showed that the mouse FMO1 was also expressed in the lung and kidney and to lesser extents in the heart, spleen, testis and brain. Mouse FMO1 expressed in yeast showed activities of thiobenzamide S-oxidation, and NADPH oxidation associated with the S- or N-oxidation of chlorpromazine, N,N-dimethylaniline, N,N-dimethyl-hydrazine, imipramine, nicotine, thioacetamide, thiourea and trimethylamine. Moreover, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ), a substance known to induce a parkinsonism-like syndrome in monkeys, was also metabolized by the mouse FMO1. The K(m) values for chlorpromazine, imipramine and TIQ were determined to be 2,4, 16.0, 435 mM, respectively. This is the first report to show that an expressed FMO can metabolize a neurotoxin, TIQ.

Topics: Amines; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary; Genetic Vectors; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Isoquinolines; Kinetics; Liver; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microsomes; Microsomes, Liver; Molecular Sequence Data; Neurotoxins; Oxygenases; Rabbits; Rats; RNA; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Swine; Tetrahydroisoquinolines; Thiourea

This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of the L-arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway in the lung oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea, which is a well-known noxious chemical agent in the lung. Lung oedema was assessed by measuring fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity and the lung weight/body weight ratio following alpha-naphthylthiourea injection. Administration of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a NO synthase inhibitor, prior to alpha-naphthylthiourea, produced a significant inhibition of pleural effusion and lung weight/body weight ratio in a dose-dependent manner. L-Arginine, but not D-arginine, when used higher doses (above 300 mg/kg) prior to alpha-naphthylthiourea injection caused a significant inhibition of pleural effusion without altering lung weight/body weight ratio. Lower doses of L-arginine (below 100 mg/kg) did not elicit an inhibitory effect against alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced pulmonary damage. However, lower doses of L-arginine greatly potentiated the inhibitory effect of NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester against alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced lung oedema when used in combination. The interesting aspect of this study is the inhibition by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a NO synthase inhibitor, and L-arginine, an endogenous donor of NO, of the lung oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea. The possible role of the L-arginine-NO pathway in lung oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea and the possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Arginine; Drug Synergism; Enzyme Inhibitors; Female; Lung; Male; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Pleural Effusion; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Stereoisomerism; Thiourea

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) prevents alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU)-induced permeability edema ex vivo. To explore the mechanisms in this involved effect, we administered KGF (5 mg/kg, intratracheally) 48 h prior to ANTU (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Several groups were studied: phosphate-buffered saline/dimethylsulfoxide (PBS/DMSO) (vehicles), PBS/ANTU, and KGF/ANTU. At 90 min after ANTU injection the lungs were removed, ventilated, and perfused ex vivo for 180 min. Quantification of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was used to assess alveolar capillary barrier permeability. KGF attenuated ANTU-induced edema and blockade of sodium transport, with ouabain (10(-3) M) or amiloride (10(-4) M) added ex vivo reversed this effect. FITC-dextran was increased in the PBS/ANTU group as compared with the PBS/DMSO group, indicating permeability edema. In the KGF/ANTU group, there was concentration of BALF FITC-dextran, consistent with permeability edema and increased alveolar fluid export. Albumin space measurements showed similar increases in permeability in the PBS/ANTU and KGF/ANTU groups. Extravascular lung water (measured with radiolabeled erythrocytes) was decreased in the KGF/ANTU group. Following KGF pretreatment, uninjured lungs exported more intratracheal PBS than normal lungs following terbutaline stimulation ex vivo. In conclusion, KGF, through type II alveolar pneumocyte hyperplasia with increased sodium-potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) activity, attenuated ANTU-induced edema formation by potentiating alveolar fluid clearance.

Topics: Absorption; Amiloride; Animals; Biological Transport; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Capillary Permeability; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Enzyme Activation; Extravascular Lung Water; Fibroblast Growth Factor 10; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; Fibroblast Growth Factors; Growth Substances; Ouabain; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Sodium; Sodium Chloride; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; Thiourea

To investigate the effect of pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor on acute permeability pulmonary edema.. Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study.. University research laboratory.. Specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats.. Acute permeability pulmonary edema was induced with an injection of alpha-naphthylthiourea, and lung leak was assessed in an isolated perfused lung model over 180 mins. Leak was confirmed with wet/dry lung weight ratios, and the alveolar fluid protein concentration was measured after bronchoalveolar lavage. The effect of pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor (injected intratracheally 48 hrs before the experiment) on alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced pulmonary edema was assessed (keratinocyte growth factor/alpha-naphthylthiourea group). Control groups (Control and keratinocyte growth factor/Control) were also studied. Histopathology was performed for each of the four groups.. The alpha-naphthylthiourea produced an acute permeability pulmonary edema detected by lung leak over the 180-min ex vivo period of monitoring the isolated perfused lung (leak = 8+/-mL; wet/dry weight ratio 14.7+/-2; lavage protein 3.1+/-1 mg/mL). Pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor significantly attenuated these parameters (leak = 2.3+/-0.4 mL; wet/dry weight ratio 7.1 +/- 0.5; lavage protein 0.28 +/-0.03 mg/mL), which were not significantly different from the control group and the keratinocyte growth factor/control group. Histopathology showed abundant type II pneumocyte hyperplasia in the lungs of animals pretreated with keratinocyte growth factor, and marked pulmonary edema in animals pretreated with alpha-naphthylthiourea. Less edema was apparent in the keratinocyte growth factor/alpha-naphthylthiourea group. All data are expressed as mean +/- SEM.. Pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor significantly attenuates pulmonary edema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea. The mechanisms of this protection are likely related to type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, but remain to be specifically elucidated.

Topics: Animals; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Fibroblast Growth Factor 10; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; Fibroblast Growth Factors; Growth Substances; Organ Size; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Edema; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rodenticides; Thiourea

Alpha-naphthylthiourea when injected intraperitoneally to rats (10 mg kg-1 i.p.) produced lung oedema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body ratio and pleural effusion reaching a maximum within 4 hours. Prior intravenous single bolus injection of endothelin-1 elicited a significant and dose-dependent inhibition in both parameters. However, prior i.v. injection of angiotensin II using relatively higher doses did not alter the oedema-producing effect of alpha-naphthylthiourea indicating a characteristic for endothelin-1. The inhibitory effect of endothelin-1 on pleural effusion is more prominent than lung weight/body weight ratio. The resolution of lung oedema by single bolus i.v. injection of endothelin-1 is probably due to the acute long-lasting and potent vasoconstrictor effect of the peptide and its large accumulation in lung tissue. Phosphoramidon, an inhibitor of endothelin converting enzyme, did not alter the oedema producing effect of alpha-naphthylthiourea indicating the lack of the participation of endothelin-peptide cascade to this pathological event. Bosentan, a non-selective receptor blocker of endothelin-1, did not inhibit the preventive effect of the peptide against alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced lung oedema. Possible mechanisms of the acute effect of endothelin-1 on lung oedema are discussed.

Topics: Angiotensin II; Animals; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; Body Weight; Bosentan; Endothelin-1; Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; Glycopeptides; Male; Metalloendopeptidases; Organ Size; Pleural Effusion; Protease Inhibitors; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Sulfonamides; Thiourea

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a compartmentalized cytokine, is a key mediator in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and may play a role in multiorgan failure. To assess whether compartmentalization of alveolar TNF is preserved following lung injury, isolated perfused lungs from Sprague-Dawley rats were given intratracheally 1 ml/kg of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), 0.1 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or 125,000 units of murine recombinant TNF (mrTNF). To induce lung leak, one group of rats was given 50 mg/kg of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) intraperitoneally. Then, 125,000 units mrTNF was given intratracheally to these lungs. Samples of perfusate were assayed for TNF by the L929 cytotoxicity assay before (0 min) and 180 min after the intratracheal challenge, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed for TNF assay. ANTU increased lung leak but intratracheal TNF and LPS did not. The isolated perfused lung preparation expressed small amounts of perfusate TNF and underwent minimal leak that was not caused by TNF release. Endogenous or exogenous intrapulmonary TNF remained predominantly compartmentalized, but following ANTU, TNF readily appeared in the perfusate. Compartmentalization of alveolar TNF is lost during alveolar-capillary injury, suggesting that the injured lung may contribute to a systemic inflammatory response and subsequent multiorgan failure.

Topics: Animals; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; In Vitro Techniques; Lipopolysaccharides; Male; Proteins; Pulmonary Alveoli; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Thiourea; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

alpha-Naphthylthiourea (ANTU) when injected intraperitoneally to rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg elicited lung oedema indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight (LW/BW) ratio and pleural effusion. The injection of acetylsalicylic acid, which is a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, and BW 755C, a cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor, prior to ANTU produced a significant inhibition in pleural fluid accumulation without changing the LW/BW ratio. BW A4C, a selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, however, caused a highly significant inhibition in pleural effusion and a slight but significant decrease in LW/BW ratio. Thromboxane A2 synthetase inhibitor, UK 38485, caused a slight but significant inhibition in pleural fluid accumulation without altering the LW/BW ratio. Iloprost, however, produced a slight but significant inhibition in the LW/BW ratio without reducing the pleural effusion rate. A significant decrease in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the isolated perfused lungs of ANTU-treated rats was noted. This observation was thought to be an evidence of a functional alteration of the lung vascular endothelium. The possible role of eicosanoids in lung oedema induced by ANTU and the related mechanisms of decreased ACE activity are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Eicosanoids; Female; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Male; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Perfusion; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

A rat liver cDNA clone, RFMO1, coding for a flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) was isolated. This cDNA clone encoded a protein of 532 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence was 84, 82 and 82% identical to those of the pig, human (Form 1) and rabbit (Form 1) liver FMOs, while it was only 52, 50, 54, 56 and 54% identical to the human (Form II), human (Form 2) and rabbit liver FMOs (Form 2) and rabbit and guinea pig lung FMOs. RNA blot analysis showed that rat liver FMO was also expressed in lung and kidney and to a lesser extent in the heart and brain. An expression plasmid, pAMFMO, was constructed and the FMO protein expressed in yeast (AH22). This FMO protein catalyzed thiobenzamide S-oxidation, and NADPH oxidation associated with the S- or N-oxidation of thiourea, N,N-dimethylaniline, trimethylamine, imipramine, chlorpromazine, N,N-dimethylhydrazine, thioacetamide as substrates. The S-oxidation activities of thiobenzamide and thiourea were enhanced by n-octylamine, a known enhancer of FMO, and inhibited by alpha-naphthylthiourea, a known inhibitor of FMO. This is the first report in which FMO with catalytic activities was stably expressed.

Topics: Amines; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Cloning, Molecular; Liver; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Oxygenases; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Recombinant Proteins; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Thiourea

Inhibitors of cytochrome P450, such as SK&F 525-A, prolong the duration of xylazine-ketamine anesthesia and cause pulmonary edema (PE) and death in rats. To determine the cause of PE, Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single dose of xylazine (21 mg/kg, im) alone or in combination with ketamine (45 mg/kg, im) and/or SK&F 525-A (50 mg/kg, ip) and percentage lung to body weight (%LW/BW) ratios (as an indicator of PE) were compared. The results indicated that xylazine caused PE which was independent of ketamine and was enhanced by SK&F 525-A. Subsequently, it was determined that 42 mg/kg xylazine, im, is an optimal edemagenic dose. Xylazine (42 mg/kg, im) increased the %LW/BW ratio as compared to control. Pleural effusion (PLE) of various amounts was observed in 75% of the animals. The pleural fluid to serum protein ratio for xylazine was similar to that obtained for alpha-naphthylthiourea (5 mg/kg, ip). Extensive serous PLE and alveolar edema with hemorrhage were found at necropsy in xylazine-treated rats. Pretreatment with yohimbine (4.2 mg/kg), prazosin (20 mg/kg), tolazoline (20 mg/kg), yohimbine (4.2 mg/kg) plus prazosin (20 mg/kg), atropine (20 mg/kg), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (7.8 g/kg), allopurinol (50 mg/kg), superoxide dismutase (20,000 U/kg), catalase (20,000 U/kg), BW755C (50 mg/kg), ibuprofen (50 mg/kg), cystathionine (100 mg/kg) plus taurine (100 mg/kg) did not affect the %LW/BW ratio. PLE was increased by yohimbine, yohimbine plus prazosin, and allopurinol, reduced by DMSO, and not changed in other groups. The results indicate that xylazine caused increased-permeability PE characterized by rapid onset, cellular damage and protein-rich pleural fluid. PE may not be mediated by adverse cardiovascular effects of xylazine and oxygen radicals are possibly involved in its etiology.

Topics: Anesthetics; Animals; Blood Proteins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Lung; Male; Pleura; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Xylazine

We have investigated the influence of the elevation of pulmonary glutathione (GSH) levels on the toxicity of the rodenticide alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) to rat lung. Administration of phorone (diisopropylidene acetone; 200 mg/kg i.p.) caused an initial depletion of both pulmonary and hepatic GSH followed after 48 hr by a marked elevation in both tissues, due most probably to a compensatory rebound synthesis. In control rats, ANTU produced a dose-dependent lethality, hydrothorax and loss of ability of lung tissue to accumulate adenosine and spermidine (markers of endothelial and epithelial cell function, respectively). These effects were prevented or markedly ameliorated when ANTU was given 48 hr after pretreatment with phorone. The mechanism of the protection by phorone pretreatment against ANTU-induced pulmonary toxicity is unclear. It may be due, in part, to elevated GSH levels in pulmonary endothelial cells and, in addition, to increased detoxification of ANTU in the liver, resulting in a decreased availability to the lung.

Topics: Adenosine; Animals; Glutathione; Ketones; Liver; Lung; Male; Paraquat; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Spermidine; Thiourea

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis has gained popularity as a rapid in vivo screen to evaluate the toxicity of both systemic and inhaled pneumotoxicants and is used in addition to the more commonly evaluated pathologic changes. This study evaluated gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) along with the more commonly measured enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as a useful indicator of acute lung injury from systematically administered pneumotoxicants. Adult male rats were injected ip with 2, 3, or 3.5 mg/kg body weight of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) or 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg of 4-ipomeanol, and measurements were made 8 or 24 hr postdose, respectively. ANTU, which selectively damages pulmonary endothelial cells, caused extensive pleural effusions with striking increases in BALF protein and white blood cell (WBC) content. 4-Ipomeanol, which selectively damages nonciliated bronchiolar Clara cells, caused dose dependent increases in both GGT and LDH activities in the BALF with GGT being increased at all doses tested. BALF protein content was also increased in the 4-ipomeanol-treated groups, but this change was not dose dependent. Analysis of GGT in BALF was a sensitive method to assess cytotoxicity associated with 4-ipomeanol-induced injury but was less useful in monitoring pulmonary endothelial cell damage induced by ANTU. Measurements of BALF protein and WBC content proved to be better in assessing injury by agents such as ANTU that primarily affect vascular permeability.

Topics: Animals; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Endothelium; gamma-Glutamyltransferase; Injections, Intraperitoneal; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Lung; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Terpenes; Thiourea; Time Factors

Administration of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) to rats causes damage to pulmonary endothelial cells and possibly mesothelial lining cells that together may account for the massive pleural effusion characteristic of thiourea toxicity. Using 35S-thiourea as a model compound, the extent of binding of 35S to lung proteins correlated well with the extent of edema, suggesting that the extent of binding of thiourea metabolites is a measure of lung toxicity. ANTU and phenylthiourea (PTU) compete for 35S binding to lung slices, suggesting that these toxins may act in a similar way. Binding of 35S in lung slices from resistant rats is much less than in controls, and resistance cannot be explained by differences in either whole body metabolism or redistribution of thiourea in vivo. Lung glutathione levels (in vitro and in vivo) in normal and resistant rats following thiourea administration were essentially the same. However, at doses of thiourea that cause pleural effusion, there was an increase in total lung glutathione.

Topics: Animals; Binding, Competitive; Drug Resistance; Endothelium; Glutathione; Lung Diseases; Mesoderm; Protein Binding; Rats; Rodenticides; Thiourea

The diamine, putrescine, and polyamines, spermidine and spermine, are low molecular weight organic cations with documented regulatory roles in cell growth and differentiation. Multiple lines of direct and indirect evidence suggest that these organic cations also may function in stimulus-response coupling processes regulating cellular injury and repair. For example, recent studies in monocrotaline-treated rats, hyperoxic rats, and in cultured pulmonary endothelial cells suggest that polyamines regulate pulmonary endothelial integrity and may thus participate in development and/or regression of acute edematous lung injury. To determine if the polyamines are involved in a well-characterized animal model of acute lung injury, the present experiments assessed the relation between changes in polyamine synthesis and development of edema in lungs from rats treated with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). ANTU caused dose- and time-dependent increases in the lung activity of the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and in the lung contents of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. ANTU also caused dose- and time-dependent increases in the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio indicative of pulmonary edema formation. Changes in lung polyamine biosyntheic activity after ANTU did not relate temporally to changes in the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio: ODC activity was depressed during the 3-h period immediately following ANTU administration, a period when the wet-to-dry weight ratio was increasing, and markedly elevated at 18 h after ANTU administration when the wet-to-dry weight ratio had returned to control levels. Pretreatment of the animals with alpha-difluoromethylornithine, a highly specific inhibitor of ODC, failed to attenuate ANTU-induced increases in lung wet-to-dry weight ratio. These observations indicate polyamine synthesis is enhanced in rat lungs with ANTU-induced pulmonary edema but, unlike certain other models of lung injury and pulmonary edema, accumulation of polyamines probably is not essential for development of edematous lung injury. It is conceivable that in this animal model polyamines play a role in lung repair processes or some longer-term consequence of lung injury.

Topics: Animals; Eflornithine; Lung; Male; Models, Biological; Organ Size; Ornithine Decarboxylase; Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; Polyamines; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

Because questions have arisen regarding pulmonary vascular permeability and resistance measurements in isolated, perfused lungs, we sought to determine the 1) stability of repeated measurements of permeability and resistance in control lungs; and 2) magnitude of change in these measurements when permeability was greatly increased. Using blood-perfused dog lungs, we measured filtration coefficient (Kf) and isogravimetric capillary pressure (Pci) as indexes of vascular permeability, and we also determined total vascular resistance (Rt) as well as the segmental resistances using the double-occlusion pressure (Pdo). In a control group (n = 8), the base-line measurement of Kf (0.21 +/- 0.02 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1) and Pci (10.2 +/- 0.9 cmH2O) did not change over 4 h, indicating no changes in endothelial barrier function. Base-line Rt (13.9 +/- 2.6 cmH2O.l-1.min.100 g) also did not significantly increase. In a second group (n = 5), alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) increased the initial Kf more than eight times (from 0.17 +/- 0.03 to 1.40 +/- 0.32 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1) and decreased Pci by 56% (from 9.4 +/- 0.6 to 4.1 +/- 0.4 cmH2O) at 1 h, indicating severely damaged endothelium. In addition, the Pdo determined during isogravimetric conditions correlated very well with Pci not only in control lungs (observed previously) but also in very permeable lungs (not previously reported). We conclude that this experimental model provides an excellent means of assessing changes in pulmonary microvascular permeability, with a spectrum ranging from no changes in hourly measurements for 4 h to obvious changes in permeability by 1 h.

Topics: Animals; Capillary Permeability; Dogs; Female; Lung; Male; Perfusion; Pulmonary Circulation; Reference Values; Rodenticides; Thiourea; Vascular Resistance

N-Methylthiobenzamide (NMTB) and alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) are pneumotoxicants which cause pulmonary edema and hydrothorax. Recently a role was assigned to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the pneumotoxic response to ANTU (D.E. Mais and T.R. Bosin, 1984, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 74, 185-194). We therefore investigated the participation of 5-HT in NMTB-induced pneumotoxicity. Pulmonary clearance of 5-HT was studied after NMTB or ANTU using the rat isolated perfused lung. Lung 5-HT uptake was not depressed 5 hr after ANTU or NMTB, but was depressed 12 hr after compound administration. At both time points lungs were edematous as judged by lung wet weight to body weight ratios. Pretreatment with reserpine, a drug known to deplete 5-HT, did not affect the NMTB-induced decrease in lung 5-HT uptake, but did diminish the increased lung wet weight to dry weight ratios seen after NMTB administration in rats and mice and the increased lung wet weight to body weight ratios in mice. NMTB induces a dose-dependant increase in the incorporation of [14C]thymidine into mouse pulmonary DNA. This increase was attenuated, but not abolished, by pretreatment with reserpine. Reserpine did not alter survival time after NMTB or ANTU and did not shift the 14-day LD50 of NMTB. These data suggest that 5-HT is not a primary mediator in the pneumotoxic response to these thiono-containing compounds.

Topics: Amides; Animals; Body Weight; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; Lethal Dose 50; Lung; Male; Organ Size; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Reserpine; Serotonin; Thioamides; Thiourea; Thymidine

To study the value of indexes of endothelial cell function in experimentally induced pulmonary microvascular injury, lung damage was produced in anesthetized dogs by intravenous injection of oleic acid (OA; n = 6), alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU; n = 5), or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA; n = 6). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in serum and simultaneous measurements of serotonin (SER) and propranolol (PROP) pulmonary extraction along with several physiologic parameters were determined and compared with those obtained in a control group (n = 5) before and then at 2-h intervals for 8 h after administration of the toxic agent. ACE activity in serum showed a sustained and significant increase in the PMA and OA groups throughout the whole study period, whereas it decreased significantly at 4 h in the ANTU group. SER pulmonary uptake decreased significantly, but slightly, only in the PMA group at 8 h (-5%). At 6 and 8 h respectively, PROP extraction dropped significantly in the PMA (-11 and -13%) and OA (-13 and -19%) groups. This decrease in PROP extraction was likely to result from physiologic changes due to the development of pulmonary edema as suggested by the correlation between the changes in amine uptake and those affecting pulmonary artery pressure and total static respiratory compliance. The lack of effects on SER uptake by the lungs under these experimental conditions indicate that dissociation exists between metabolic dysfunction of pulmonary endothelial cells and fluid leakage.

Topics: Anesthesia; Animals; Blood Pressure; Dogs; Endothelium, Vascular; Lung; Lung Diseases; Microcirculation; Oleic Acid; Oleic Acids; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Propranolol; Pulmonary Circulation; Serotonin; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Thiourea; Vascular Diseases; Vascular Resistance

Topics: Animals; Lung; Male; Perfusion; Piperonyl Butoxide; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

Endotoxin injected intraperitoneally caused leucopenia and pulmonary oedema in rats. These effects were spontaneously reversed over the 28 h after the single dose of endotoxin. The pharmacokinetics of three substrates, 14C-sucrose, 3H-prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 3H-adenosine, were measured in perfused lungs isolated from rats at different times after treatment with endotoxin. The efflux kinetics of radiolabel derived from sucrose and adenosine were little affected, but that from PGE2 was markedly changed. The metabolism of PGE2 was also decreased. The change in PGE2 pharmacokinetics preceded the pulmonary oedema, but both pharmacokinetics and oedema returned to normal at the same time (28 h after endotoxin). It may be feasible to use PGE2 pharmacokinetics as a biochemical index for early warning of acute lung injury caused by sepsis.

Topics: Adenosine; Animals; Dinoprostone; Endotoxins; Half-Life; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Male; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Sucrose; Thiourea

1. The hydrolysis of adenosine di- and monophosphate (ADP, AMP) was studied in perfused lungs isolated from rats treated with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) to induce acute lung injury. This injury is associated with damage to the endothelium, the locus of the ADP and AMP hydrolysing enzymes. 2. Treatment with ANTU did not change the proportion of [3H]-ADP surviving a single passage through the pulmonary circulation, at any time up to 50 h after ANTU. Less than 8% and 2% respectively of 1 or 0.1 mumol ADP, given as a bolus, appeared in lung effluent. 3. The metabolites of ADP, AMP and adenosine in lung effluent were increased fro 2 h after ANTU. 4. Metabolism of [3H]-AMP as substrate was always low but, following ANTU treatment, the adenosine content of lung effluent increased four fold. 5. It appears that, in spite of considerable endothelial cell damage, as demonstrated by pulmonary oedema, the ectoenzymes catalysing ADP and AMP hydrolysis were relatively little affected by ANTU.

Topics: Adenine Nucleotides; Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Monophosphate; Animals; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Chromatography, Thin Layer; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Lung Diseases; Male; Organ Size; Perfusion; Rats; Rodenticides; Thiourea; Time Factors

The reasons for greater lung vascular permeability to anionic macromolecules are not understood. In order to determine whether the luminal or abluminal surfaces of lung capillary endothelial cells differ with respect to surface charge, we compared the binding of cationic ferritin, an electron dense probe, with these cell surfaces in lung capillaries. Because lung capillaries are not normally permeable to cationic ferritin, lungs were examined from rats with increased permeability edema caused by pretreatment with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). We found that more cationic ferritin particles bound to the luminal than to the abluminal surfaces of lung capillary endothelium. In order to determine whether this was due to inaccessibility of cationic ferritin to the lung interstitium, we also compared cationic ferritin binding to the apical and basal surfaces of bovine calf aortic and main pulmonary arterial endothelial cells in tissue culture. We found that more cationic ferritin bound to the apical than to the basal surface of the cultured cells. The binding of cationic ferritin to cultured endothelial cells was due to charge since native, anionic ferritin did not bind to either surface and binding was decreased by neuraminidase pretreatment of cultures. Cultures incubated with thiourea, another thiocarbamide that causes increased permeability edema in vivo, also showed greater binding of cationic ferritin to the apical cell surface, suggesting that the differences seen in vivo were not due to thiocarbamide injury. However, another cationic probe, ruthenium red, bound to both the apical and basal surfaces of cultured endothelial cells. These results suggest that the basal endothelial cell surface does not lack anionic sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Capillaries; Culture Techniques; Endothelium; Ferritins; Lung Diseases; Male; Perfusion; Pulmonary Circulation; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Ruthenium; Ruthenium Red; Thiourea

We compared areas and diameters of small airways and arteries in three groups of anesthetized dogs: 1) control (n = 5), 2) hydrostatic edema induced by fluid overload (n = 13), and 3) increased permeability edema induced with alpha-naphthylthiourea (n = 5). We measured pulmonary arterial and wedge pressures in all groups and cardiac output in the hydrostatic edema group. Postmortem, lobes were frozen at functional residual capacity and samples taken for measurements of extravascular lung water (Qwl/dQl) and for light microscopy. We also examined lobes from hydrostatic edema experiments fixed at transpulmonary pressures of 5 and 27 cmH2O. From the histology slides, bronchovascular bundles with respiratory bronchioles (n = 706) and bronchioles (n = 467) were photographed and airway and vessel areas and diameters measured. Alveolar and airway luminal edema were graded. We found that only in hydrostatic edema, pulmonary arterial and wedge pressures increased and vascular resistance fell with fluid infusion. Mean Qwl/dQl values were 3.80 +/- 0.17, 6.81 +/- 0.96, and 9.34 +/- 0.62 (SE) in control, hydrostatic, and increased permeability edema groups, respectively. By quantitative histology, airway and arterial areas and diameters did not decrease in edema and rose with increasing transpulmonary pressure. Variable quantities of air-space edema were seen. We conclude that interstitial edema does not compress small airways or arteries and that other mechanisms, including alveolar and airway luminal edema, may explain reported increases in airway resistance.

Topics: Animals; Cardiac Output; Dogs; Female; Hemodynamics; Isotonic Solutions; Lung; Male; Pulmonary Artery; Pulmonary Edema; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; Ringer's Lactate; Thiourea; Vascular Resistance

Lung injury and pulmonary edema were induced in rats after intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). The time course of development of lung injury was assessed by the clearance of 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (99mTcDTPA) from the lung into the blood, the pharmacokinetics of tritiated prostaglandin E2 [( 3H]PGE2) in the isolated perfused lung, and by increase in the weight ratio (wet-to-dry) of lung. Two hours after ANTU administration, the clearance of 99mTcDTPA was significantly faster than in untreated animals and implied an increase in permeability of the alveolar-capillary barrier. This change preceded the increase in wet-to-dry weight ratio of lung, which was not significant until 5 h after ANTU administration. The pharmacokinetics of [3H]PGE2 were significantly altered after ANTU and these changes persisted beyond the time when both lung weight ratio and 99mTcDTPA clearance had recovered to normal values. We conclude that both 99mTcDTPA clearance and PGE2 pharmacokinetics change in ANTU-induced lung injury but with different time courses. In the progressive phase of lung injury due to ANTU, the early change in clearance of 99mTcDTPA suggests that an increased permeation of the alveolar capillary barrier by this small molecule precedes pulmonary edema due to an increased colloid permeability of the barrier. Abnormal metabolism in the pulmonary microvasculature persists when the permeability defect and edema have recovered.

Topics: Animals; Capillary Permeability; Dinoprostone; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Organ Size; Organometallic Compounds; Pentetic Acid; Prostaglandins E; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; Thiourea

The rate and sequence of interstitial and alveolar fluid removal from the lung after the occurrence of pulmonary edema were examined. Rats were given intraperitoneal injections of 20 mg/kg alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), resulting in an increased permeability edema with alveolar flooding. Animals were killed at intervals between 2 and 48 hours after ANTU for the gravimetric determination of extravascular lung water (Qwl/dQl) and histologic study of the lung. Interstitial fluid volume was quantified by a morphometric technique. The assumptions were made that edema fluid equaled the experimental Qwl/dQl minus the normal Qwl/dQl, and that the edema fluid volume equaled the sum of interstitial and alveolar fluid volume. It was found that between 2 and 4 hours after the induction of pulmonary edema, fluid was removed from the alveolar space faster than it was removed from the interstitial space. Between 4 and 48 hours after ANTU, the fluid removal rate from both compartments was much slower, and interstitial fluid was removed at a faster rate than alveolar fluid. It is hypothesized that the later phase of fluid removal from the lung is dependent on the removal of protein.

Topics: Animals; Biological Transport; Body Weight; Extracellular Space; Male; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea; Time Factors

Since the lung is the first highly vascularized organ to which chylomicrons are exposed, we sought to determine whether the lung vasculature is capable of metabolizing triglyceride contained in circulating, native chylomicrons. In addition, since acute lung injury can depress other endothelial cell associated metabolic functions, we determined whether acute injury due to alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) changed chylomicron triglyceride metabolism by lungs. We compared the hydrolysis of radiolabelled chylomicrons from rat mesenteric lymph by perfused lungs isolated from rats pretreated with ANTU; with the vehicle, Tween 80, alone; or untreated control rats. In all groups of lungs, we found that perfusate content and concentration of triglyceride decreased over 30 minutes of perfusion, while that of free fatty acid increased, indicating that isolated lungs are able to hydrolyze chylomicron triglyceride. Despite enhancement of hydrolysis by perfusates containing 6 gm/100 ml of bovine serum albumin, there were no differences among the groups of lungs in the extent or rate of triglyceride metabolism. The [1-14C]-oleate from chylomicron triglyceride was taken up into lung tissue during 30 minutes of perfusion and incorporated into neutral lipid, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine to a similar degree by ANTU-injured and control lungs. Lipoprotein lipase activity in homogenates of lungs from ANTU and Tween treated rats did not differ. We conclude that lungs are capable of hydrolysis of triglyceride contained in chylomicrons and that this endothelial cell associated metabolic function is not altered by acute lung injury caused by ANTU.

Topics: Animals; Chylomicrons; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Hydrolysis; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Lung Injury; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Triglycerides

1 Pulmonary oedema, assessed by decreases in the lung dry weight:wet weight ratio, was induced in rats by a single i.p. injection of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU). The oedema reached a peak at 4 h after ANTU and had completely resolved after 28 h. 2 Pulmonary pharmacokinetics of adenosine were measured in isolated, perfused lungs using radiolabelled adenosine and sucrose, injected into the perfusate as a single bolus. 3 By 1 h after ANTU the 1 min efflux of tracer for adenosine increased to over 60% and remained high until 16 h after ANTU. The time for 50% of injected radioactivity to appear in lung effluent (t1/2) for adenosine was reduced from its normal value of greater than 120 s to a minimum of 27 s at 1 h after ANTU. The proportion of adenosine in lung effluent did not change until 16 h after ANTU treatment but returned to normal by 50 h. 4 There were only minimal changes in the T1/2 and 1 min efflux for sucrose following ANTU treatment. 5 It appears that both the uptake and metabolism of adenosine are affected by ANTU-induced lung damage. The early effects are chiefly on uptake with metabolism remaining normal. Later (after 16 h) metabolism is decreased with uptake recovering to normal levels. 6 The effects on adenosine uptake paralleled the development and the resolution of oedema, suggesting that this variable might provide a biochemical index of the physical processes leading to lung oedema.

Topics: Adenosine; Animals; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Lung; Male; Permeability; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

The cellular localization of putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) following the accumulation of tritium-labeled putrescine (2.5 microM) or 5HT (0.5 microM) into rat lung slices was determined by autoradiography at the light microscope level. Putrescine labeling was found to occur in type II alveolar epithelial cells and in branchiolar nonciliated (Clara) cells, and possibly also in type I alveolar epithelial cells. The pattern of 5HT labeling was clearly different from that with putrescine, since the parenchyma was diffusely labeled with no preferential location in type II cells, but with strong labeling of the endothelium of large vessels and also the pleural mesothelium. The apparent kinetic parameters for the tissue uptake of [3H]putrescine (2.5 to 80 microM) and [14C]5HT (0.5 to 16 microM; both being simultaneously present in a 5 to 1 molar ratio) were studied in lung slices from normal rats and rats pretreated with O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (OSSMe, 11 to 95 mg/kg, po), with paraquat (20 mg/kg, ip), or with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU, 5 or 10 mg/kg, ip). OSSMe and paraquat were used as models for pulmonary epithelium-damaging agents, and ANTU was taken as a model for a pulmonary endothelium-damaging agent. The Vmax for the uptake of 5HT was significantly increased (without change in Km) following treatment with OSSMe and paraquat. Following ANTU treatment the Vmax for the uptake of 5HT was unchanged (5 mg/kg) or increased (10 mg/kg, Km also increased). These results indicate that in lung slices the response to lung injury may be associated with an increased accumulation of 5HT. The Vmax for the uptake of putrescine was significantly decreased (without change in Km) following treatment with OSSMe and paraquat. Following ANTU treatment the Vmax for the uptake of putrescine was unchanged (5 mg/kg) or decreased (10 mg/kg, no change in Km). These results suggest that a decreased putrescine uptake is a sensitive index of pulmonary epithelial damage.

Topics: Animals; Autoradiography; Female; Lung; Organothiophosphates; Paraquat; Putrescine; Rats; Serotonin; Thiourea

Recent work with isolated blood vessels has emphasized the importance of intact endothelium when the relaxation of vascular smooth muscle is induced by acetylcholine (ACh). However, the physiologic significance of this endothelial-dependent ACh response in a complete organ circulation is unclear. We questioned whether diminished ACh vasodilation would result from damage of lung vascular endothelium and whether this response could be used as an indication of endothelial injury. We therefore induced pulmonary endothelial cell injury in one rat model by repeated injections of alpha-naphthyl thiourea (ANTU) and in a second rat model by exposing rats for 52 h to 100% oxygen at a barometric pressure of 760 torr (hyperoxia). Rats injected with Tween 80, the solvent for ANTU, or exposed to ambient Denver air served as the respective control animals. The isolated lungs of these rats were perfused with a recirculating cell- and plasma-free, physiological salt solution to study the effect of ACh or NaCl infusion on pulmonary perfusion pressure and vascular responsiveness. ANTU-treated rats demonstrated an intact vasodilatory response after ACh infusion when compared with the solvent control animals. The immediate pulmonary vasodilation after ACh infusion was slightly enhanced in the hyperoxic rat lung when compared with the rats exposed to ambient air, but there was no difference between these groups in the prolonged depression of vascular responsiveness to hypoxia or angiotensin II. Thus, in both models of lung endothelial cell injury, the pulmonary vascular responses to ACh were intact.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Acetylcholine; Acute Disease; Animals; Chronic Disease; In Vitro Techniques; Lung Diseases; Male; Microbial Collagenase; Microscopy, Electron; Oxygen; Perfusion; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Vascular Diseases; Vasodilation

alpha-Naphthylthiourea (ANTU) causes pulmonary edema and pleural effusion in rats. It has been suggested that ANTU pneumotoxicity may be mediated by blood neutrophils (PMNs) via the release of reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, we tested the effect of technical grade ANTU (tANTU) on the ability of rat peritoneal PMNs to release superoxide (O2-). tANTU did not itself stimulate O2- production by PMNs, but it increased the O2- released in response to PMN stimulation by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). This effect was dependent upon the amount of tANTU added. In PMNs activated in vitro by a submaximal PMA stimulus, addition of 20 micrograms/ml tANTU doubled superoxide release. When tANTU was recrystallized from ethanol, the purified ANTU was not effective in potentiating the effect of PMA on PMNs. This suggests that an impurity in technical grade ANTU is capable of increasing O2- release by stimulated PMNs. tANTU and recrystallized ANTU caused similar pneumotoxicity in rats in vivo, suggesting that the unidentified impurity does not markedly influence the biologic effects of ANTU.

Topics: Animals; Drug Contamination; Drug Synergism; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Neutrophils; Pleural Effusion; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Superoxides; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Thiourea

The effects of ANTU-induced acute pulmonary capillary injury on lung and serum ACE functional activity and the specific accumulation of radio-labelled anti-ACE in lung were explored. Rats were injected either with ANTU or the solvent and sacrificed at various intervals up to one week after injection. All ANTU-injected animals developed pulmonary edema and bilateral pleural effusions which resolved by the one week time point. At no time was there any significant change in serum ACE levels. The specific activity of total lung ACE however rose from 11.0 +/- .95 (mean +/- SEM) to 18.4 +/- 1.1 by two hours after ANTU; by 24 hours, however, solubilized lung ACE had fallen significantly to 6.9 +/- .79 (p less than .01). Total lung ACE had returned to control values by one week. In parallel groups of animals the accumulation of 125I-labelled anti-ACE (AA) or normal sheep immunoglobulin (NSG) was compared in control and ANTU-treated rats. The ratio of the radioactivity in the lungs of AA--injected animals to that in NSG--injected animals fell significantly after ANTU administration (5.0 +/- .88 to 1.2 +/- .28 at 2 hours) suggesting that immunoreactive ACE had fallen despite an increase in ACE functional activity. The decreased binding of AA at the early time points perhaps reflects internalization of endothelial cell ACE in response to injury and an inability of the antibody to interact with the enzyme. The reduction in binding at 24 hours (1.38 +/- .47) correlates with a reduction in total lung ACE. ANTI-ACE may be a useful reagent for quantitating endothelial cell damage following lung injury.

Topics: Animals; Antibodies; Antigen-Antibody Complex; Immunoglobulins; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Rats; Thiourea

Tissue uptake, extravascular distribution volumes, and plasma-lymph equilibration of two isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were labeled with radioiodine and studied in dogs with either normal or injured lungs. Cationic LDH 5 [isoelectric point (pI) = 7.9] was initially cleared from plasma by lung tissue at a rate 1.61 times higher (9.3 vs. 5.8 X 10(-3) ml X min-1 X g-1 extravascular wet wt) than anionic LDH 1 (pI = 5.0). LDH 5 also had a significantly higher extravascular distribution volume but equilibrated more slowly between plasma and pulmonary lymph (t1/2 = 120 min) than LDH 1 (t1/2 = 78 min) in normal lungs. Respective lymph-to-plasma ratios were 0.53 and 0.43 for LDH 1 and LDH 5 after 4 h of infusion. Infusion of the isozymes 2 h after injection of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) resulted in larger initial tissue plasma clearances for both isozymes compared with control, but greater relative tissue plasma clearances and extravascular distribution volumes for LDH 5 compared with LDH 1. Plasma-lymph equilibration half times of LDH 5 and LDH 1 were reduced after ANTU to 50 min and 41 min, respectively, whereas the respective alveolar fluid-to-plasma ratios of the two isozymes at termination of the ANTU experiments were 0.56 and 0.84. These data suggest that the fixed anionic charges on endothelial cell surfaces, intercellular junctions, basement membranes, and interstitial structures act much like a cation exchange gel to rapidly take up cationic proteins and retard the plasma-lymph equilibration of these proteins relative to anionic proteins of the same size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Basement Membrane; Biological Transport, Active; Capillaries; Dogs; Extracellular Space; Hemodynamics; Isoelectric Point; Isoenzymes; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Lung; Lung Injury; Lymph; Metabolic Clearance Rate; Pulmonary Circulation; Thiourea; Tissue Distribution

Lungs were damaged with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) and various compounds were used to block its effect. Although the results are variable, superoxide dismutase, catalase and dimethylsulfoxide all protected against ANTU, indicating that OH radicals are responsible for this type of lung injury. Leukocytes do not appear to be required for the damage to occur; however, hydroxurea (given over 2 days) did block the ANTU damage when neutrophils were decreased to 1/2 normal values or when administered acutely. The free radicals may be generated by the cyclooxygenase pathway since ibuprofen blocked the ANTU damage, whereas blocking xanthine oxidase using allopurinol failed to prevent the lung damage.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Capillary Permeability; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Disease Models, Animal; Dogs; Endothelium; Free Radicals; Lung; Oxygen; Pulmonary Circulation; Superoxide Dismutase; Thiourea

The detailed topography of filtration and of accumulation of the tracer dextran 75 was studied in 3 control dogs and in 9 experimental dogs in which edema was induced with 27 mg/kg alpha-naphthylthiourea. When moderately severe edema was present, 15-20 ml/kg of 6% dextran 75 was infused over 10-15 minutes; lung lobes were then fixed immediately by immersion, airway instillation, or vascular perfusion with 5% glutaraldehyde, 3% paraformaldehyde, or by freeze-substitution. For light microscopy, sections were embedded in methacrylate and stained with periodic acid-Schiff; for electron microscopy, they were embedded in Epon. The tracer was confined to the vasculature in controls. In all but one animal with edema, the tracer was seen in relation to capillaries, nonmuscular and partly muscular arteries, and veins, not in the walls of muscular arteries or around bronchial vessels. The dextran rapidly entered alveoli, lymphatics, and the interstitium around small vessels; there was much less tracer in the interstitium around larger vessels and essentially none around airways, consistent with the notion the interstitium acts as a sequestered pool. Furthermore, it was found that significant artifacts resulted from airway instillation and vascular perfusion fixation.

Topics: Animals; Capillary Permeability; Dextrans; Dogs; Female; Histological Techniques; Lung; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Edema; Thiourea

Lung endothelial cell injury may be an important early event in the pathogenesis of increased permeability pulmonary edema. Since angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is located on the luminal surface of the endothelial cell membrane, we sought to determine whether the conversion of angiotensin I (AI) to angiotensin II is decreased after acute lung injury to rats, induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), and we investigated the mechanism of the decrease. We found that lungs isolated from rats treated 4 h earlier with ANTU at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight (BW) had decreased AI conversion when perfused with Krebs-Henseleit at a constant flow rate of 30 ml/min/kg BW. When perfusate flow rate was increased from 30 to 50 ml/min/kg BW, lungs isolated from rats treated with 10 mg/kg BW ANTU also had decreased AI conversion when compared to controls treated with a vehicle, Tween 80. Investigating the mechanism of decreased AI conversion, there were no differences among experimental groups in pulmonary arterial pressures or effluent perfusate pH or pO2. There was no correlation between lung wet/dry weight ratios and the extent of AI conversion among control rat lungs. Lung homogenate and serum ACE activity did not differ among control rats and rats pretreated with the two doses of ANTU. Ultrastructural studies revealed an increased percentage of capillaries with blebbing of endothelial cells in lungs injured with ANTU, as compared to controls, but no evidence of increased endothelial cell denudation in injured lungs. We conclude that angiotensin I conversion is decreased after ANTU lung injury and that the extent of decrease is related to the dose of ANTU and to perfusate flow rate. Although we cannot exclude decreased vascular surface area perfused as a cause of decreased conversion, we speculate that subtle changes in the luminal endothelial cell membrane may have caused decreased AI conversion after ANTU lung injury.

Topics: Angiotensin I; Angiotensins; Animals; Endothelium; Lung; Male; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Polysorbates; Pregnenediones; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

We used the in situ blood-perfused left lower lobe preparation of the dog to examine the effect of hydrostatic and permeability edema on the slope and intercept of the vascular pressure-flow (P/Q) relationship and on the longitudinal distribution of vascular resistance with the arterial and venous occlusion technique. Hydrostatic edema (HE) was induced by raising the venous pressure, and permeability edema (PE) was induced with alpha-naphthylthiourea. When the hematocrit (Hct) of the perfusate was kept normal (approximately 40%), HE had no significant effect on either the slope or the intercept of the P/Q relationship or on the distribution of vascular resistance. PE caused a small increase in the intercept of the P/Q relationship and a small rise in the resistance of the vessels in the middle segment. In another series of HE experiments in which Hct was allowed to increase during edema formation, there was a marked increase in vascular resistance. We conclude that edema per se does not increase vascular resistance significantly and that the increases in vascular resistance which were observed previously by other investigators in the isolated lungs may be due to increases in blood hematocrit.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Dogs; Hematocrit; Hydrostatic Pressure; In Vitro Techniques; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Thiourea; Vascular Resistance

Using the thiocarbamide model of acute lung injury in rats, we found that alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) caused lung endothelial cell injury, as evidenced by increased permeability edema and decreased angiotensin I conversion. These effects were associated with enhanced pulmonary vascular reactivity. Recurrent ANTU lung injury caused pulmonary hypertension. The water-soluble thiocarbamide thiourea caused cultured vascular endothelial cells to release neutrophil chemoattractant activity. We speculate that endothelial cell injury may modulate the function of vascular smooth muscle and blood leukocytes.

Topics: Angiotensin II; Animals; Endothelium; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Lung; Lung Diseases; Male; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Neutrophils; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

Synthesis of COP (prostaglandins; PG and thromboxanes; Tx) from exogenous and endogenous arachidonic acid (AA) was studied in isolated perfused lungs from rats treated in vivo with a single dose of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU; 10mg/kg;). Lung dry:wet weight ratios showed changes characteristic of oedema between 6 and 16h after ANTU. Bioassay of COP showed that COP synthesis from exogenous AA was raised above control values in lungs from rats treated with ANTU, reaching a maximum at 16h after treatment. By radioimmunoassay, the major increase was in 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, with lesser effects on PGE2 and PGF2 alpha levels. Synthesis of bioassayable COP from endogenous AA induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 was increased as early as 2h after ANTU treatment and remained elevated up to 70h. In lungs 28h after ANTU, 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha release was greater than in normal lungs. These results show that in this model of pulmonary oedema, the potential for COP synthesis was increased. From the time course of this effect, increased COP synthesis was probably a response to the initial damage rather than a cause of the oedema.

Topics: Animals; Arachidonic Acid; Arachidonic Acids; Calcimycin; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Male; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Prostaglandins; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Thromboxanes

Topics: Animals; Dinoprostone; Half-Life; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Prostaglandins E; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea; Thromboxane B2; Tritium

A controversy exists as to the preferred solution for plasma volume replacement and cardiac output maintenance in the presence of lung injury. To evaluate these responses, crystalloid and colloid infusions were compared in dogs treated with 5 mg/kg of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which produces a predictable increase in vascular permeability and extravascular water (QW) in the lung. A tracheobronchial lymphatic from the left lung was cannulated and left atrial (Pla) pressure, lymph flow, lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratios, and thermal dilution cardiac output were monitored. Test infusions were either 15 ml/kg of 6% dextran 70 (DX) or 60 ml/kg of normal saline (NS) infused over 20 min. Solutions were infused 3 h after ANTU as follows: group I (DX); group II (NS), group III (DX, constant Pla); and group IV (NS, constant Pla). In groups III and IV, Pla was maintained constant by bleeding into a reservoir during an exchange transfusion. Postinfusion QW increased to 9.01 and 9.14 g/g blood-free dry wt for groups I and II, respectively, but there was no significant postinfusion increase in QW for groups III and IV compared with the 3-h preinfusion values. However, cardiac output was significantly higher at 5 h in group III compared with group IV. These studies indicate that capillary hydrostatic pressure was the major determinant of QW during the infusions but that DX maintained cardiac output significantly higher because of vascular retention of the colloids.

Topics: Animals; Body Fluids; Capillary Permeability; Cardiac Output; Dextrans; Dogs; Hemodynamics; Infusions, Parenteral; Lymph; Pulmonary Edema; Thiourea

During routine inhalation toxicity studies, microscopic examination of tissues from lungs which have shown small, but statistically significant increases, in organ weight has failed to show evidence of any pathological change. Historically, increases, thought to be due to mild oedema, have been difficult to identify microscopically. A method suitable for dealing with large numbers of rodents has been developed, which can detect microscopically changes associated with small increases in lung weight. The lungs were inflated with formalin vapour and fixed in 10% buffered formalin. Histological processing methods were varied to obtain the best demonstration of oedema. Fixation methods were compared using alpha-naphthylthiourea-induced oedematous lungs. The left lobe was inflated with formalin vapour and the rest of the lung was distended with 10% buffered formalin. The best demonstration of oedema followed formalin vapour fixation. Evidence of oedema, indicated by lung weight increases of approximately 10%, was seen microscopically in formalin-vapour-fixed lungs, but was not seen in the lobes distended with 10% buffered formalin. Application of this technique to other species including cats and dogs has also proved successful.

Topics: Animals; Cats; Lung; Male; Organ Size; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Staining and Labeling; Thiourea

Acute lung injury due to alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) is associated with increased permeability edema, transient pulmonary hypertension, and increased vascular reactivity. We sought to determine whether repeated administration of ANTU caused right ventricular hypertrophy. Rats were injected weekly for 4 wk with ANTU or an equivalent volume of the vehicle Tween 80. Rats injected repeatedly with ANTU in doses of 5-10 mg/kg body wt had increased ratios of right ventricular to left ventricular plus septal weights. The right ventricular hypertrophy in ANTU-treated rats was associated with right ventricular systolic hypertension. Repeated injections of ANTU also caused transient pulmonary edema after each dose, as evidenced by increased wet-to-dry lung weight ratios after 4 h, which returned to normal by 24 h. Lungs isolated from ANTU-injected rats had greater pressor responses to hypoxia and to angiotensin II than lungs from Tween 80-injected rats. Pressure-flow curves of isolated lungs, arterial blood gases, and hematocrits were similar in rats treated repetitively with ANTU or Tween alone. Lung histology was also similar in ANTU and control lungs, as were measurements of arterial medial thickness and ratios of numbers of arteries/100 alveoli, indicating that substantial vascular remodeling had not occurred. Thus, four weekly ANTU injections in rats caused right ventricular hypertrophy, probably due to pulmonary hypertension. We speculate that the pulmonary hypertension was due, at least in part, to sustained vasoconstriction, which somehow resulted from repeated acute lung injury.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Cardiomegaly; Heart Ventricles; Lung; Lung Injury; Male; Organ Size; Polysorbates; Pulmonary Artery; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

alpha-Naphthyl thiourea ( ANTU ) produces pulmonary endothelial injury, pulmonary edema, and pleural effusions in rats in a dose-dependent manner. Since prostaglandins of the E series have been shown to modulate inflammatory responses in vivo and neutrophil and platelet function in vitro we investigated the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on ANTU -induced lung injury. Systemic administration of 15-(S)-15-methyl-PGE1 (15-M-PGE1), a stable analog of PGE1, potentiated lung injury induced by ANTU in a dose- and time-dependent manner. 15-M-PGE1 (1 mg/kg, subcutaneously) administered 1 hour prior to ANTU treatment (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) resulted in a 164% increase (p less than 0.001) in pleural effusion formation and a 42% increase (p less than 0.02) in wet lung weight at 4 hours after ANTU administration. This was associated with increased pulmonary endothelial cell blebbing and gap formation with a decrease in the number of platelet thrombi in 15-M-PGE1-treated animals compared with controls. 15-(S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin F2 alpha, was less effective than 15-M-PGE1 in potentiating ANTU -induced lung injury. Platelet depletion, but not neutrophil depletion, also potentiated ANTU -induced lung injury, suggesting a protective role for platelets. Platelets isolated from 15-M-PGE1-treated animals demonstrated an approximately 50% decreased aggregation response to adenosine diphosphate. 15-M-PGE1 (1 mg/kg) treatment combined with platelet depletion resulted in a 1.7-fold increase (p less than 0.01) in pleural effusions in ANTU -treated (1 mg/kg) animals compared with platelet depletion alone. These studies indicate that systemic treatment of rats with 15-M-PGE1 will potentiate ANTU -induced lung injury. This injury may be in part secondary to the ability of 15-M-PGE1 to inhibit platelet function. However, platelet depletion studies suggest that 15-M-PGE1 has additional effects, possibly on endothelial cells and/or vascular smooth muscle cells that contribute to the potentiation of ANTU -induced lung injury.

Topics: Alprostadil; Animals; Blood Platelets; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Lung; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Pleural Effusion; Prostaglandins E, Synthetic; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Rodenticides; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Thiourea; Time Factors

We utilized light microscopic morphometry to examine the distribution of fluid in bronchovascular bundles of different sizes. Permeability edema was induced in 10 anesthetized dogs with 27 mg/kg of alpha-naphthylthiourea. Eight dogs served as controls. After moderately severe edema, diagnosed on chest radiographs and with decreasing arterial pO2, lobes were fixed with glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde or by freeze substitution. Postmortem wet weight to dry weight ratios were 7.82 +/- 0.62 (mean +/- SE) in the edematous lungs and 4.38 +/- 0.25 in the controls. Bronchovascular bundles were photographed and grouped as follows: bundles composed of separated arteries and bronchioles, bundles with connected arteries and bronchioles, and bundles with connected arteries and bronchi. The transparencies were projected on a tablet interfaced to a computer and the following areas were determined: T, the total bundle area; V, the vessel (artery) area; B, the airway (bronchiole or bronchus) area; A1, the tight periarterial adventitial sheath area; A2, the loose periarterial interstitial area; and A3, the bronchiolar/bronchial interstitial area. In addition, edema ratios for arteries (A2/V) and airways (A3/B) were calculated. We found that (a) A1 was very small and did not change with edema; (b) A2 in all bundles increased 10-fold with edema (p less than 0.01), whereas A3 increased 2- to 3-fold; (c) A2/V increased 9- to 15-fold in the edematous bundles (p less than 0.01) and (d) A3/B did not change in separated bundles (p greater than 0.05) but was approximately double after edema in the connected bundles with bronchioles and bronchi (p less than 0.01). We conclude that edema in bronchovascular bundles accumulates preferentially in the loose periarterial interstitium and does not appear to accumulate around smaller bronchioles. These data may be explained by anatomical factors and by gradients of interstitial pressure.

Topics: Animals; Bronchi; Capillaries; Capillary Permeability; Dogs; Extracellular Space; Female; Male; Pulmonary Edema; Thiourea

alpha-Naphthylthiourea (ANTU) damages the pulmonary capillary endothelium producing a marked pulmonary edema. Since the pulmonary microvasculature regulates the circulating levels of serotonin (5-HT), the role of 5-HT in the pathophysiology of ANTU-induced pulmonary edema was examined. Mice treated with ANTU (10 mg/kg, ip) rapidly developed pulmonary edema which was maximal at 3 hr and was resolved by 12 hr. The lung content of both endogenous 5-HT and a tracer dose of 5-[3H]HT paralleled the time course of the development and resolution of the pulmonary edema. ANTU produced a significant thrombocytopenia (58 to 72%) at all time points, and an elevated platelet content of 5-HT and 5-[3H]HT during the resolution phase (6 to 12 hr). Drugs possessing select effects on 5-HT were shown to alter the edematogenic response to ANTU. Fluoxetine, a selective inhibitor of 5-HT uptake, potentiated the pulmonary edema, while clorgyline, an irreversible inhibitor of type A monoamine oxidase, was without effect. Reserpine which depletes 5-HT stores prevented both thrombocytopenia and pulmonary edema in response to ANTU. Reloading the lung and platelet 5-HT stores of reserpinized animals reestablished the normal response to ANTU. Pretreatment with the selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin, prevented the thrombocytopenia, the increase in lung content of 5-HT and 5-[3H]HT, and prevented the edematogenic response to ANTU by 70%. These data indicate a major role for 5-HT in the pathophysiology of acute lung microvascular injury produced by ANTU.

Topics: Animals; Blood Platelets; Clorgyline; Drug Interactions; Fluoxetine; Ketanserin; Lung; Male; Mice; Piperidines; Pulmonary Edema; Reserpine; Serotonin; Serotonin Antagonists; Thiourea; Thrombocytopenia

Rat lungs were inflated and incubated in either anionic or cationic ferritin, and alveolar and capillary basement membranes were examined by electron microscopy. Cationic ferritin bound to heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the external surface of the alveolar basement membrane, whereas cationic ferritin bound to the lamina densa of the capillary basement membranes. Anionic and cationic ferritin was also perfused through the pulmonary circulation of lungs isolated from control rats and rats previously injected with alpha-naphthylthiourea, which produces permeability pulmonary edema. Neither anionic nor cationic ferritin leaked from the pulmonary capillaries in perfused controls; cationic, but not anionic, ferritin adhered to endothelial cell surfaces. In lungs with alpha-naphthylthiourea pulmonary edema, perfused for 2-15 minutes, anionic ferritin leaked from pulmonary capillaries into the alveolar interstitium and alveolar space, while cationic ferritin remained within the capillary lumen. Five times as much anionic ferritin appeared in the capillary basement membranes on the thick side of the alveolar wall, as in the alveolar basement membranes on the thin side of the alveolar wall. In alpha-naphthylthiourea lungs perfused for 45-60 minutes, cationic ferritin also leaked through the injured endothelium and bound twice as much to the alveolar as the capillary basement membranes. The negatively charged pulmonary capillary endothelium, the positively charged capillary basement membranes, and the negatively charged alveolar basement membranes may influence the transport of macromolecules from the pulmonary circulation in permeability pulmonary edema.

Topics: Animals; Basement Membrane; Biological Transport; Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; Ferritins; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; Heparitin Sulfate; Lung; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Perfusion; Permeability; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Tissue Distribution

Platelets and serotonin (5-HT) have been increasingly implicated in the pathophysiological response to lung microvascular injury. These experiments were undertaken to study the effect of agents known to injure the pulmonary microvasculature on platelet function, i.e., 5-HT uptake kinetics. Mice were exposed to 100% normobaric oxygen (24 to 96 hr) or pretreated ip (3 to 24 hr) with paraquat dichloride (50 mg/kg), diquat dibromide (68 mg/kg), or alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU, 10 mg/kg). Mouse platelet 5-HT accumulation was described by a saturable uptake system, possessing high affinity and low capacity, acting in conjunction with passive diffusion. The kinetic constants for the saturable uptake system in control mice were Km 3.37 +/- 0.32 X 10(-7) M and Vmax 46.7 +/- 3.5 pmol 10(8) platelets-1 min-1. Exposure to oxygen for 24 hr resulted in an increased affinity, Km 1.91 +/- 0.67 X 10(-7) M, and a decreased Vmax, 20.0 +/- 5.0 pmol 10(8) platelets-1 4 min-1, with no change in the passive diffusion component. Pretreatment with paraquat (3 hr) produced similar changes (Km 1.71 +/- 0.27 X 10(-7) M and Vmax 15.8 +/- 1.6 pmol 10(8) platelets-1 4 min-1), while diquat and ANTU failed to alter the kinetics of platelet 5-HT uptake. These changes appeared to require a pulmonary toxicant capable of generating a flux of oxygen radicals, and were not due to either the presence of residual toxicant, the presence of an endogenous inhibitor in platelet-rich plasma, or changes in the platelet content of endogenous 5-HT. This study has shown that hyperoxia and paraquat affect platelet function, and suggests that this alteration may contribute to the pathophysiological response of the pulmonary microvasculature to injury produced by these agents.

Topics: Animals; Blood Platelets; Diquat; Free Radicals; Kinetics; Male; Mice; Oxygen; Paraquat; Serotonin; Thiourea

To determine the effect of the type of lung injury on the thermodilution estimation of extravascular lung water, we produced pulmonary edema in 25 anesthetized dogs by injection of alloxan or alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) into the pulmonary circulation or by instillation of hydrochloric acid (HCI) into the airway. HCl injury was bilateral, unilateral with tidal volume equal in each lung, or unilateral with equal airway pressure. Extravascular thermal volume (ETV) was measured at base line and 4 h after lung injury, and the final measurement was compared with the postmortem determination of extravascular lung mass (ELM). In 11 of 15 animals with HCl injury final ETV was less than the base-line measurement. The ratio of final ETV to ELM for all HCl animal (group I) averaged 0.31 +/- 0.14, which was different from the value for animals with alloxan or ANTU injury (group II), 1.04 +/- 0.14 (P less than 0.01). Extravascular lung water per gram of blood-free dry tissue was not different for the two groups (8.1 +/- 1.2 and 8.7 +/- 2.6 for I and II, respectively), indicating equally severe lung injury; however, shunt fraction was less in group I (P less than 0.01). ETV/ELM correlated with the shunt fraction for group I (r = 0.70) but not for group II (r = 0.32). These findings indicate that ETV underestimates lung water after HCl injury due to the redistribution of pulmonary blood flow away from edematous areas.

Topics: Alloxan; Animals; Cardiac Output; Dogs; Extracellular Space; Hydrochloric Acid; Lung; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Thermodilution; Thiourea; Tidal Volume

Topics: Endothelium; Free Radicals; Humans; Lung Diseases; Microcirculation; Models, Biological; Oxygen; Superoxides; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Body Water; Capillary Permeability; Catalase; Dogs; Lymph; Pulmonary Edema; Superoxide Dismutase; Thiourea

We investigated the effects of lung injury due to alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) on pulmonary vascular reactivity. Rats were treated with ANTU (10 mg/kg ip) or the vehicle Tween 80. Four hours later, lungs from ANTU-treated rats had increased wet-to-dry weight ratios, bronchial lavage protein concentrations, and perivascular edema. To test vascular reactivity, lungs were isolated and perfused with blood at constant flow rate, while mean pulmonary arterial pressure was monitored. ANTU-treated lungs vasoconstricted earlier than Tween-treated lungs in response to severe airway hypoxia (fractional inspired O2 0%). ANTU-treated lungs vasoconstricted in response to 10% O2, while Tween-treated lungs failed to respond to 10% O2, indicating that the threshold for hypoxic vasoconstriction was decreased by ANTU. ANTU also decreased the threshold for and increased the magnitude of angiotensin II pressor responses, indicating that the increased vasoreactivity was not specific for hypoxia. Addition of meclofenamate to perfusates increased the rate and magnitude of responses to 0% O2 in Tween-treated lungs, but did not change the responses of ANTU-treated lungs. Light microscopy of ANTU-treated lungs showed no pulmonary arterial obstruction, and electron microscopy revealed mild capillary endothelial cell injury. We conclude that enhanced pulmonary vascular reactivity accompanies the increased-permeability pulmonary edema caused by ANTU. A similar increase in vasoreactivity might contribute to pulmonary hypertension observed in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Topics: Angiotensin II; Animals; Blood Vessels; Hypoxia; Lung; Male; Meclofenamic Acid; Oxygen; Polysorbates; Pulmonary Circulation; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Time Factors; Vasoconstriction

The time course of the respiratory consequences of alpha-naphthyl thiourea (ANTU)-induced lung oedema was studied in adult albino rats, up to 6 h after the injection of 5 mg/kg ANTU. Control rats were injected with olive oil (ANTU solvent). After 6 h, pulmonary extravascular water increased by 50% in ANTU-treated rats and the volume of the pleural effusion reached 3.4 +/- 0.1 ml (mean +/- s.e. mean). The most striking point is the absence of hypoxaemia in the ANTU-treated rats: PaO2 = 103 +/- 1.5 Torr vs 100 +/- 1 Torr in the control rats. The non-decreased PaO2 can be related to the patency of the alveolar airspaces. The predominant location of the oedema in the lung interstitium is caused by a specific lymphatic drainage pathway towards the pleura in the rat which prevents alveolar flooding. Histological findings support this hypothesis. PaCO2 is unaltered: 32 +/- 1 Torr in ANTU rats vs 33.5 +/- 1 Torr in control rats. A slight downward shift of arterial pH is found in ANTU rats: (7.440 +/- 0.010 vs 7.475 +/- 0.010, P less than 0.01). Concomittently (HCO3-)a decreases in ANTU-treated rats (22.2 +/- 1.2 mmol l-1 vs 24.8 +/- 0.6 mmol l-1, P less than 0.01). The absence of hypoxaemia is common with normobaric oxygen (02) and ANTU-induced lung oedema in the rat. A comparison is made between 02 and ANTU toxicity, as for respiratory events and histological features.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Body Temperature; Carbon Dioxide; Heart Rate; Hematocrit; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Lactates; Lung; Male; Oxygen; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

In adult female Wistar rats, pretreated by gavage with two doses - 16 or 256 mumol/kg - of cyanamide, TMTD (tetramethylthiuram disulfide), TMTM (tetramethylthiuram monosulfide), Ziram or Zineb at 90 min or 18 h before administration of 2 g of ethanol/kg i.p., the blood acetaldehyde levels were significantly increased for 90 - 240 min after ethanol administration (exceptions were noted after exposure to Zineb for 90 min or to low-dosed cyanamide for 18 h). After pretreatment for identical periods with ANTU (N-1-naphthylthiourea) or ANIT (1-naphthylisothiocyanate) at doses extending into the LD50 range, the blood acetaldehyde levels of rats given the same dose of ethanol remained uninfluenced. The increase in blood acetaldehyde recorded after 16 mumol/kg p.o. of TMTM and TMTD remained detectable for up to 48 h. Onset of the cyanamide action occurred already after 45 min. While recognizing that results from animal experiments cannot be transposed without restriction to the human situation, it is concluded that occupational contacts with ANTU or ANIT are not likely to elicit increased blood acetaldehyde levels in man after ingestion of alcohol. The risk of an ethanol intolerance reaction due to a rise in blood acetaldehyde therefore does not appear to be warranted. The present findings indicate, however, that exposure to TMTD, TMTM, Ziram, Zineb or cyanamide is associated with a definite health risk; because of the long persistence of these substances in the body, the risk exists for a long time post-exposure.

Topics: 1-Naphthylisothiocyanate; Acetaldehyde; Animals; Cyanamide; Cyanides; Drug Interactions; Ethanol; Female; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiocarbamates; Thiocyanates; Thiourea; Thiram; Zineb; Ziram

Topics: Animals; Carcinogens; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Humans; Risk; Rodenticides; Thiourea

In pulmonary edema, fluid accumulates first in the interstitium, then in the alveoli. However, the relative amounts of interstitial fluid around arteries and veins of different sizes are unknown; in addition, the effects of fixation on the light microscopic quantitation of edema are unclear. To answer these questions, we induced permeability pulmonary edema in seven anesthetized dogs with 27 mg/kg of alpha-naphthylthiourea. Pulmonary artery and wedge pressures were measured. After moderately severe edema, diagnosed by chest x-ray and falling arterial pO2, lobes were fixed by airways instillation or vascular perfusion with glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde or were frozen with liquid nitrogen. With light microscopy, the edema surrounding arteries and veins of different sizes was measured using a computer equipped with a digitizing tablet and expressed as the edema ratio = area of perivascular edema/area of vessel, or as an absolute area of edema. Alveolar edema was graded semiquantitatively, and wet weight to dry weight ratios were calculated. Two control dogs were also studied. During the induction of edema, pulmonary artery and wedge pressures did not change significantly. Mean wet weight to dry weight ratios were 9.3 +/- 1.1. We found that the edema ratio was greater (p less than 0.01) for arteries (2.75, n = 1305) than for veins (1.40, n = 900). The edema ratio was greater for vessels more than 400 micron than less than 400 micron (p less than 0.01) and greater in the instillation- and perfusion-fixed lobes than in the frozen lobes (p less than 0.01). Similar results were obtained for the absolute areas of periarterial and perivenous edema. Less alveolar edema was seen in the lobes fixed by instillation (p less than 0.01). We conclude that, in permeability edema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea, the fluid accumulates preferentially around arteries compared with veins and around larger compared with smaller vessels. Airways instillation and vascular perfusion fixation appeared to increase interstitial fluid cuffs compared to freezing.

Topics: Animals; Capillary Permeability; Dogs; Female; Male; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Artery; Pulmonary Edema; Pulmonary Veins; Thiourea

Topics: Angiotensin II; Animals; Capillary Permeability; Lung; Male; Oxygen; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea; Vasoconstriction

To evaluate whether alpha-naphthylthioura (ANTU) protects against hyperoxic injury to the pulmonary endothelium, we monitored survival and serotonin uptake by the lungs of ANTU-treated rats (5 mg/kg) and Tween 80-treated control rats exposed to 100% O2 or air at 1 atmosphere absolute. Exposure to 100% O2 for 24 h or 48 h significantly depressed serotonin uptake in control rats. Serotonin uptake in ANTU-treated rats compared with that in control rats exposed to air for 24 or 48 h was also significantly depressed. However, serotonin uptake by the lungs of ANTU-treated rats exposed to 100% O2 for 48 h was significantly greater than uptake by control lungs similarly exposed to O2. Nine of 14 ANTU-treated rats were alive after 7 days of exposure to 100% O2, and serotonin uptake by the lungs of survivors had returned to control values (3.29 +/- 0.25). In contrast, only 1 of 14 control rats survived and serotonin uptake was 1.17 in this lone survivor. These results indicate that ANTU injuries pulmonary endothelial cells but protects against subsequently hyperoxic injury. This protection may account for the reduced mortality in ANTU-treated rats exposed to hyperoxia.

Topics: Animals; Lung; Male; Oxygen; Perfusion; Polysorbates; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Serotonin; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Thiourea

The effects of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) on lung microvascular permeability to plasma proteins were studied in anesthetized open-chest dogs. Lymph flow (Jv) was recorded, and total protein in plasma and lymph was analyzed after cannulating a small prenodal lung lymphatic. The protocol involved four experimental periods. Period 1. During this base-line period the preparation stabilized and steady states were reached in Jv, lymph total protein, pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), and left atrial pressure (Pla). Period 2. Pla was increased to approximately 20 cmH2O and maintained at that level until Jv and protein measurements attained a new steady state. Period 3. After Pla was lowered to control levels, ANTU (5 mg/kg body wt) was infused intravenously and parameters were measured for 3 h. Period 4 Pla was again raised to the pre-ANTU levels of period 2 and maintained for an additional 2-3 h. The lymphatic total protein clearance increased 8.6-fold for an equivalent increase in pulmonary capillary pressure after ANTU. Vascular permeability was assessed by estimating the osmotic reflection coefficient (sigma d) for total protein at the pulmonary capillary membrane. Sigma d decreased from 0.65 to 0.40 following ANTU. From plasma protein fractions in four experiments, equivalent pore radii for the capillary membrane of 95 and 280 A were calculated after ANTU compared with 80 and 200 A for normal lung capillaries. In addition, extravascular lung water increased from 3.8 +/- 0.16 to 5.87 +/- 0.25 following ANTU and to 7.55 +/- 0.55 (g/g blood-free dry wt) when Pla was elevated with ANTU. The experimental design allowed quantitative assessment of the vascular permeability increase after ANTU by use of lymph protein fluxes that had minimal errors due to changes in surface area or lymph contamination from nonpulmonary structures.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Blood Proteins; Capillary Permeability; Dogs; Lymph; Microcirculation; Pulmonary Artery; Pulmonary Circulation; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Capillaries; Endothelium; Freeze Fracturing; Male; Pulmonary Alveoli; Rats; Thiourea

The rodenticide ANTU (alpha-naphthylthiourea) was used in the United Kingdom mainly in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The product then contained up to 0.2% of beta-naphthylamine as an impurity, and it was finally withdrawn in 1967 as a suspected carcinogen. Fourteen cases of urothelial tumours among rodent operatives exposed to ANTU are reported: in one district four out of 27 staff were affected, and in another area two out of 10. These cases strongly suggest that the early ANTU manufactured in the United Kingdom posed a cancer hazard to users. ANTU is still made or used in various countries, though the current product may be relatively pure and no longer contaminated by beta-naphthylamine. Recent laboratory evidence shows that even pure ANTU is mutagenic in the Ames test, and the safety of this rodenticide may need review.

Topics: Adult; Aged; England; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Rodent Control; Rodenticides; Thiourea; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Wales

We tested the effects of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) on lung fluid balance and prostanoid concentrations in anesthetized sheep acutely prepared for collection of pulmonary lymph. Sheep were given 20, 50, 75, or 100 mg/kg ANTU or the vehicle dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) intravenously. The first phase of the response consisted of transient increases in pulmonary artery pressure and plasma and lymph thromboxane B2 concentrations. Lymph flow increased with no change in the lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratio (L/P). These changes occurred in sheep given DMSO alone or DMSO with ANTU; they were not dependent on the dose of ANTU given. Two to 4 h after drug administration, pulmonary artery pressure and thromboxane concentrations were normal or near normal. Lymph flow rate reached steady-state levels averaging 1.5 (DMSO alone) to 5.3 (100 mg/kg ANTU) times base line with L/P ratios unchanged from base line. ANTU/DMSO produces transient, severe pulmonary hypertension that may be prostaglandin mediated. The sustained response consists of increased flow rate of protein-rich lymph.

Topics: Animals; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Epoprostenol; Lung; Microscopy, Electron; Pulmonary Circulation; Rodenticides; Sheep; Thiourea; Thromboxane B2

The effect of pulmonary oedema on the pharmacokinetic function of rat lungs was studied using prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as substrate; oedema was induced by alpha-naphthyl thiourea (ANTU). Male rats were given a single i.p. injection of ANTU (10 mg/kg). Lung wet weight, dry:wet weight ratio and pleural transudate were measured at fixed times up to 50 hr after treatment. Wet weight was increased after 4 hr and remained higher than controls until 50 hr; dry:wet weight ratios were different only at 6 and 16 hr. Survival of PGE2 (measured by bioassay) was increased at 4 hr, reached a peak value of about six times the control survival at 6 hr and returned to normal by 50 hr. Using 14C-PGE2 as substrate, survival was maximal at 16 hr and back to normal by 50 hr. The efflux profiles of radioactivity showed an increase in T1/2 by 4 hr rising to a maximum at 28 hr and a normal value at 50 hr. Changes in PGE2 survival precede the period of oedema (assessed by dry:wet ratio) and could be used as an early warning of oedematous states. This altered pharmacokinetic function of lung could also have systemic effects.

Topics: Animals; Dinoprostone; Disease Models, Animal; Exudates and Transudates; Inactivation, Metabolic; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Organ Size; Prostaglandins E; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Pulmonary injury caused by alpha naphthylthiourea (ANTU) is characterized by alterations of the capillary endothelial barrier followed by lung edema. Because pulmonary uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is dependent upon active transcellular transport by lung endothelium, it may be an index of early impairment of endothelial function caused by ANTU. We studied the effect of a single intraperitoneal dose of 5 or of 10 mg/kg of ANTU on pulmonary uptake of 5-HT by isolated rat lungs. Four h after the administration of ANTU, when lung tissue structure and dry-to-wet-weight ratios were comparable to those of control animals, 5-HT uptakes were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Twenty-four h after the administration of ANTU, when lung edema was present on histologic examination and by lung weights, 5-HT uptakes were further reduced. They returned to control values 14 days after the administration of ANTU. Depression of 5-HT uptake is an early and reversible alteration of lung endothelial cell function caused by ANTU. Uptake of 5-HT may provide a sensitive probe with which to detect and evaluate pulmonary endothelial cell injury caused by toxicants.

Topics: Animals; Biological Transport, Active; Capillaries; Endothelium; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Male; Naphthalenes; Organ Size; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Serotonin; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Carbon Tetrachloride; Drug Resistance; Drug Tolerance; Enzyme Induction; Furans; Lung; Male; Mice; Naphthalenes; Phenobarbital; Proadifen; Rabbits; Rats; Terpenes; Thiourea; Time Factors; Toxins, Biological

Topics: Animals; Freeze Fracturing; Lung; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Carbon Monoxide; Cyanides; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; In Vitro Techniques; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Microsomes; Microsomes, Liver; Mixed Function Oxygenases; Naphthalenes; Rats; Rodenticides; Thiourea

The methods of toxicological detection of the rodenticides Dirax and Vacor (urea derivates) in biological material were worked out and tested. The new chromatographic methods using a thin silica gel layer can be of help in laboratory toxicological diagnostics.

Topics: Animals; Cats; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Digestive System; Dogs; Naphthalenes; Phenylurea Compounds; Poultry; Rats; Rodenticides; Thiourea

The effects of thiourea and of several substituted thioureas -- phenylthiourea, alpha-naphtylthiourea, metiamide, and burimamide -- on dynein ATPase have been studied. The substituted thioureas are over 30 times more potent than thiourea in causing enhancement of 30S dynein ATPase activity and inhibition of 14S dynein ATPase activity. The effects of thiourea and phenylthiourea can be prevented by very low concentrations of beta-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol. Axonemal ATPase is also enhanced by the thioureas, but the reaction proceeds more slowly than for solubilized 30S dynein. Enhancement of 30S dynein ATPase by metiamide is prevented by low (approximately 1 microM) concentrations of ATP and, less effectively, by AMP-PNP, but not by AMP-PCP even though the latter is a stronger inhibitor of 30S dynein ATPase than is AMP-PNP. The thioureas inhibit the ATP-induced decrease in turbidity (measured as delta A350) of axonemal suspensions. Inhibition of the turbidity response is also prevented by low concentrations of beta-mercaptoethanol, but, in contrast to the irreversible enhancement of ATPase activity, inhibition of the turbidity response is largely reversible. The ability of 30S dynein to rebind onto twice-extracted axonemes is not changed by treatment with phenylthiourea or metiamide. These observations indicate that the thioureas react with at least two sets of SH or S--S groups on axonemes. Reaction with the group(s) on the 30S dynein causes an apparently irreversible enhancement of ATPase activity. Reaction with another group(s) causes a reversible inhibition of the turbidity response.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Animals; Burimamide; Cilia; Dyneins; Kinetics; Metiamide; Naphthalenes; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; Phenylthiourea; Structure-Activity Relationship; Tetrahymena pyriformis; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cricetinae; Embryo, Mammalian; In Vitro Techniques; Liver; Male; Mesocricetus; Mutagens; Rats; Rodenticides; Salmonella typhimurium; Thiourea

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Blood Glucose; Female; Glucose-6-Phosphatase; Kidney; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Liver; Male; Mitochondria; Mitochondria, Liver; Naphthalenes; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Erythrocyte Membrane; Female; Kidney; Microsomes; Microsomes, Liver; Naphthalenes; Rats; Rodenticides; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; Thiourea; Tissue Distribution

The pulmonary absorption of 14C-labeled urea, mannitol, inulin, and dextran was measured in vivo in anesthetized rats with alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU)-induced (5 mg/kg, ip) lung edema. At 1 h after ANTU treatment, the absorption of mannitol was significantly increased; in 4-h ANTU-treated animals, the absorption of urea was unchanged, whereas the absorption of mannitol, inulin and dextran was increased markedly compared to controls. Although disappearance of each solute from control lungs could be described by a single, first-order rate, absorption time curves for mannitol and inulin showed at least two components in edematous lungs: a fast component(s) and a slower, first-order component; fast-component rates for the two saccharides appeared to be similar; the slow-component rate for each compound was not significantly different from its control rate. The results suggest that fast-component absorption in ANTU-treated rats represents a fraction of instilled solute which entered damaged areas of lung where the porosity of the absorbing membranes was markedly increased, whereas slow-component absorption occurred from normal areas of lung.

Topics: Animals; Cell Membrane Permeability; Dextrans; Epithelium; Inulin; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Mannitol; Naphthalenes; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea; Urea

Topics: Chloralose; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Naphthalenes; Thiourea; Tracheotomy

Topics: Animals; Heavy Metal Poisoning; Metals, Heavy; Naphthalenes; Poisoning; Poisons; Rats; Strychnine; Thallium; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cysteamine; Ethylamines; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Thiourea; X-Rays

Topics: Animals; Particle Size; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chromatography, Paper; Humans; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anuria; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Rodentia; Rodenticides; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bromine; Halogenation; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Edema; Lung Diseases; Oxygen; Pulmonary Edema; Respiration; Thiourea

The relatively recent development of more-effective pulicides has been paralleled by the discovery of more-efficient rodenticides. Eight of the latter-namely, warfarin, pival, red squill, alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), zinc phosphide, arsenic trioxide, thallium sulfate, and sodium fluoroacetate (1080)-are discussed with particular reference to the criteria of effectiveness against rodents and relative safety to humans and pets. Although the perfect rodenticide has not yet been found, the authors consider that, at present, warfarin appears the most successful in domestic-rat control campaigns. However, the true value of warfarin has still to be determined, and in the meantime it is necessary to select the rodenticide and bait which appear to be most appropriate in each case. In addition, the authors point out that, if the initial poisoning has been ineffective, follow-up with a second rodenticide and bait can produce good results.

Topics: Fluoroacetates; Humans; Phosphines; Plague; Rats; Rodenticides; Thallium; Thiourea; Zinc Compounds

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Dogs; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Naphthalenes; Poisoning; Thiourea

Topics: Rats; Shyness; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Exudates and Transudates; Lung Diseases; Pleura; Pleural Effusion; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Naphthols; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Humans; Stomach; Thiourea

Topics: Iodides; Iodine; Iodine Isotopes; Leadership; Thiourea

Topics: Adrenal Cortex; Animals; Butyrates; Desoxycorticosterone; Gum Arabic; Rats; Thiourea; Tissue Extracts; X-Rays

Topics: Animals; Anura; Dogs; Lung; Mice; Pulmonary Alveoli; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Lung; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Blood; Cholesterol; Dogs; Thiourea; Thyroid Gland

Topics: Animals; Horses; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Iodides; Iodine; Iodine Compounds; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Body Temperature; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Dogs; Edema; Lung; Pleural Effusion; Pleurisy; Pulmonary Edema; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Diet; Disease Susceptibility; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Blood; Cholesterol; Dogs; Plasma; Pleural Effusion; Pleurisy; Thiourea

Topics: Gastrointestinal Diseases; Thiourea

Topics: Catalase; Coloring Agents; Humans; Peroxidase; Peroxidases; Thiourea

Topics: Disease Susceptibility; Gonadal Steroid Hormones; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Biological Factors; Rodent Control; Thiourea

Topics: Rodent Control; Rodentia; Thiourea; Warfare

Topics: Animals; Iodides; Iodine; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Animals; Chickens; Meat; Sus scrofa; Swine; Thiourea

Topics: Poisons; Rats; Thiourea

Topics: Pharmacology; Thiourea

Topics: Poisons; Rodent Control; Thiourea