Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 65, Issue 5 2151-2155, Copyright © 1988 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Clearance of surfactant phosphatidylcholine via the upper airways in rabbits

A. Pettenazzo, A. Jobe, J. Humme, S. Seidner and M. Ikegami
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Torrance 90509.

A possible route of clearance of surfactant phosphatidylcholine from the lungs is via the airways. To quantify surfactant loss via this pathway, latex bags were surgically placed into the abdomens of adult rabbits such that secretions cleared via the esophagus could be collected. The rabbits then were given treatment or trace doses of radiolabeled phosphatidylcholine-surfactant by tracheal injection and/or intravascular radiolabeled precursors of phosphatidylcholine. Labeled saturated phosphatidylcholine was measured in all fluids that were collected from the bags at 2-h intervals for 24 h and in alveolar washes and lung tissues at 24 h. No more than 7% of either treatment or trace doses of intratracheal surfactant-saturated phosphatidylcholine was lost via clearance up the airways over 24 h. Clearances of endogenously synthesized and secreted saturated phosphatidylcholine were estimated to be no more than 3% of the flux of labeled saturated phosphatidylcholine through the alveolar pool. These experiments demonstrate that surfactant phosphatidylcholine clearance via movement up the airways is not a major pathway leading to surfactant catabolism.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Gunther, M. Balser, R. Schmidt, P. Markart, A. Olk, J. Borgermann, F. H. Splittgerber, W. Seeger, and I. Friedrich Surfactant abnormalities after single lung transplantation in dogs: Impact of bronchoscopic surfactant administration J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., February 1, 2004; 127(2): 344 - 354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Bernhard, A. Gebert, G. Vieten, G. A. Rau, J. M. Hohlfeld, A. D. Postle, and J. Freihorst Pulmonary surfactant in birds: coping with surface tension in a tubular lung Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2001; 281(1): R327 - R337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Gerde, B.A. Muggenburg, M. Lundborg, and A.R. Dahl The rapid alveolar absorption of diesel soot-adsorbed benzo[a]pyrene: bioavailability, metabolism and dosimetry of an inhaled particle-borne carcinogen Carcinogenesis, May 1, 2001; 22(5): 741 - 749. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. W. Kramer, A. H. Jobe, and M. Ikegami Exogenous surfactant changes the phenotype of alveolar macrophages in mice Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, April 1, 2001; 280(4): L689 - L694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. W. Kramer, M. Ikegami, and A. H. Jobe Surfactant phospholipid catabolic rate is pool size dependent in mice Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): L842 - L848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. DARGAVILLE, M. SOUTH, and P. N. McDOUGALL Comparison of Two Methods of Diagnostic Lung Lavage in Ventilated Infants with Lung Disease Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 1999; 160(3): 771 - 777. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				D. Halpern, O. E. Jensen, and J. B. Grotberg A theoretical study of surfactant and liquid delivery into the lung J Appl Physiol, July 1, 1998; 85(1): 333 - 352. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]