Effect of Betamethasone on Pulmonary Surfactant Activity in Unilateral Pneumonectomized Rabbits

일측폐장절제가토에 있어서 steroid가 제 II 형 폐포세포의 기능에 미치는 영향

Although it is well established that steroid is effective for treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), the action mechanism of steroid on NRDS is not well known. Several authors have insisted that steroid increases secretion of pulmonary surfactant from type II pneumocyte, but others have insisted that steroid does not affect the secretory function of the type II pneumocyte. And some authors have suggested that steroid may ca use compositional change of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid. From these aspects, it is desirable to confirm the effect of steroid on (he secretory function of the type II pneumocyte. In order to know the effect of steroid on pulmonary surfactant activity, phospholipid phosphorus of lung lavage was measured and composition of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid of lung lavage was analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) in control (C), pneumonectomized (PN), and pneumonectomized with betamethasone treated (PNS) rabbits. And lung weight and lung weight-body weight ratio were measured in each experimental group also. In PN group, right lung pneumonectomy was performed under general anesthesia with pentobarbital sodium (30mg/kg). On the fifth day after the surgery, the left lung was excised and measured above parameters. In PNS group, pneumonectomy was performed as PN group, and one day after the surgery, betamethasone was injected for four days intramusculary (4mg/day) and rabbits were sacrificed. The experiment yielded following results. PNS group's lung weight was significantly (p<0.01) heavier than C group's, but in comparison with PN group's it showed no significant change. PNS group's L/B ratio was significantly (p<0.05) higher than C group's, but compared with PN group's it showed no significant change. The value of phospholipid phosphorus content of PNS group was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of C group. Even if the value of phospholipid phosphorus content in PNS group was not significantly higher than that of PN group, it showed increasing tendency compared with that of PN group. And in an analysis of the thin layer chromatogram, quantity (${\mu}mol/gm$ of wet weight lung) of phosphatidylcholine in PNS group decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared with C and PN group. From these results, it may be suggested that though steroid inhibits cellular hyperplasia in the compensatory growing lung, it auguments the secretory function of type II pneumocyte and causes compositional change of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid.

일측폐장을 절제한 뒤 대상성증식기의 폐장을 태아폐장증식의 모델로 삼고 이때 steroid가 대상성증식중의 폐장내 제II형폐포세포의 폐포표면활성물질의 분비에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위한 본 실험의 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 잔류폐장의 무게 및 체중에 대한 폐장무게의 비는 폐절제후 betamethasone을 투여한 군에서 폐절제군에 비해 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 2. 폐세척액내의 인지질인의 함량은 폐절제후 betamethasone을 투여한 군에 있어서는 무처치대조군에 비해서는 유의한(p<0.01) 증가를 보였고 폐절제군에 비해서는 증가하는 경향을 보였다. 3. TLC(thin layer chromatography)를 통해 폐세척액내의 인지질의 조성을 조사한 결과, 폐절제후 betamethasone을 투여한 군은 무처치대조군 및 폐절제군과는 다른 양상을 보였다. 이상의 실험결과로 미루어 steroid는 태아폐장의 대상성증식기에 폐포표면활성물질의 분비를 증가시키며 동시에 제II형폐포세포에서 분비되는 폐포표면활성물질의 주성분인 인지질의 조성에도 변화를 일으켜 폐장의 융압률을 증가시킨다고 사료된다.