Effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase on alveolar epithelial permeability in guinea pigs

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Infection and Immunity; (USA)

OSTI ID:6993302

Azghani, A O; Connelly, J C; Peterson, B T; Gray, L D; Collins, M L; Johnson, A R ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Texas Health Center, Tyler (USA)

Elastase-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are less virulent than the wild type and are easily cleared from the lungs of guinea pigs. The effect of P. aeruginosa elastase on lung epithelium, however, is not yet understood. We addressed the hypothesis that breach of the epithelial barrier by elastase from P. aeruginosa allows invading organisms and toxic substances to penetrate the interstitium. We measured the clearance of aerosolized technetium-labeled albumin (molecular weight, 69,000) from the lungs of anesthetized guinea pigs with the aid of a gamma camera and a dedicated computer. Aerosols of the elastase (0.1 to 5 micrograms) increased the rate of clearance of labeled albumin from the lungs in proportion to the elastase dose. Electron microscopic studies using horseradish peroxidase as a tracer revealed that elastase interrupts intercellular tight junctions of the epithelial lining, thereby increasing the permeability to macromolecules. The amounts of elastase used in this report did not cause interstitial or alveolar edema, as determined by both postmortem extravascular lung water volume measurement and morphological examination. The data indicate that the elastase is a potentially important virulence factor in acute lung infection.

• OSTI ID: 6993302
• Journal Information: Infection and Immunity; (USA), Vol. 58:2; ISSN 0019-9567
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
EPITHELIUM
PERMEABILITY
PSEUDOMONAS
VIABILITY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
PATHOGENESIS
SERINE PROTEINASES
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
ALBUMINS
EXTRACELLULAR SPACE
GUINEA PIGS
LUNG CLEARANCE
METABOLISM
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
MUTANTS
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BODY
CLEARANCE
DISEASES
ENZYMES
EXCRETION
FUNCTIONS
HYDROLASES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDE HYDROLASES
PROTEINS
RODENTS
SPACE
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
550901* - Pathology- Tracer Techniques