Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 38, Issue 4 623-629, Copyright © 1975 by American Physiological Society
Influence of cycloheximide on the lung
D. B. Gail, G. D. Massaro and D. Massaro
We examined the time course of the influence of cycloheximide on descending
pressure-volume curves of excised lungs and on protein and lecithin
synthesis and oxygen consumption by lung slices. We also looked at the
influence of cycloheximide on granular pneumocyte ultrastructure. Excised
lungs from cycloheximide-treated animals are more compliant than controls.
After ventilation with air, lungs from control and cycloheximide animals
show increased retractive forces and a shift to the right of the deflation
P-V curve. Incubation at 38 degrees C for 30 min reverses these changes in
control lungs, but not in lungs from cycloheximide-treated rabbits. There
is no change in liquid delfation P-V curves after cycloheximide.
Cycloheximide causes an immediate decrease of 50% in incorporation of
radioactive leucine into protein by lung slices. Incorporation of
radioactive palmitate into lecithin and oxygen consumption are also
decreased by 50% 6 h after cycloheximide. Lamellar bodies in granular
pneumocytes are smaller after cycloheximide. Cycloheximide causes a
significant increase in the surface density of the lamellar body envelope.
Cytoplasmic area of granular pneumocytes is increased after cycloheximide.
