Altered turnover and synthesis rates of lung surfactant following thoracic irradiation

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(87)90132-5· OSTI ID:6571635

Coultas, P G; Ahier, R G; Anderson, R L

Between 2-6 weeks after thoracic irradiation with 10 Gy X rays, when levels of surfactant in the alveoli show the greatest increase, there is a reduction in the rate of radioactivity loss from /sup 3/H-choline labeled disaturated phosphatidylcholine from the lung. This indicates a reduced turnover of surfactant. Discrepancies between the halving times for specific activity and for total radioactivity of the disaturated phospholipids suggest that at between 2 and 3 weeks post-irradiation, removal and degradation of surfactant almost ceases, but that synthesis continues normally. However, by 3 weeks post-irradiation, choline-/sup 3/H incorporation into disaturated phosphatidylcholine suggests that surfactant synthesis is increased about two-fold. The reduced number of macrophages recovered from alveolar lavage between about 2 and 6 weeks post-irradiation may indicate a reason for the lengthened turnover times of surfactant over this period. Nevertheless, the stimulated surfactant production that takes place from about 3 weeks onward suggests an additional active response to radiation or to radiation damage by the type II pneumonocytes. These studies confirm that the maximum levels of alveolar surfactant seen at 3 weeks post-irradiation result from a different lung response than that responsible for the increase in surfactant, which occurs within hours of irradiation.

• Research Organization: MRC Cyclotron Unit, London, England
• OSTI ID: 6571635
• Journal Information: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN IOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALCOHOLS
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CHEST
CHOLINE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DRUGS
ESTERS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LAVAGE
LIPIDS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
LUNGS
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
MICE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHAGOCYTES
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
SURFACTANTS
SYNTHESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES