GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS IN EMPHYSEMATOUS AND FIBROTIC HAMSTER LUNGS

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Abstract
Amounts and distributions of glycosaminoglycans were measured in lungs obtained from hamsters treated intratracheally 21-30 days previously with saline, purified pancreatic elastase or bleomycin. Normal hamster lungs contained 150-200 .mu.g glycosaminoglycans/lung. Lungs made fibrotic by bleomycin contained significantly more glycosaminoglycans per lung than saline-treated control lungs; this increase was equally distributed among all glycosaminoglycan subtypes. Emphysematous lungs also contained more glycosaminoglycans than saline control lungs; this increase was less than that of fibrotic lungs and was limited to the dermatan sulfate subtype. The latter was increased in emphysematous lungs when expressed as a percentage of total glycosaminoglycans. In these hamster models of lung diseases that affect the connective tissue framework of the lungs, changes in lung glycosaminoglycans accompany changes in the other connective tissue components.