FREE ALVEOLAR CELLS IN PAPAIN-INDUCED EMPHYSEMA IN HAMSTER

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Abstract
After papain exposure, lung surfaces and washings evidenced extensive hemorrhage. This was associated with a marked increase in number of free alveolar cells, which peaked after 24 h with a half-life of approximately 4 days and returned to control values after 21-28 days. Well-developed pulmonary emphysematous lesions were observed after 7 days. I.p. administration of cyclophosphamide markedly reduced the papain-induced increase in total cell count but did not prevent development of emphysematous lesions. Pretreatment with .alpha.1-antitrypsin intratracheally did not affect the increase in total free lung cell population but completely prevented lung lesion development. Increase in free lung cells and development of elastase-induced emphysema were prevented by pretreatment with .alpha.1-antitrypsin. Exposure of hamsters to an aerosol of collagenase resulted in hemorrhagic lung surfaces; lung washings demonstrated a marked increase in the total free cell population, but this was not associated with anatomic pulmonary emphysematous changes. Papain-induced emphysema in hamsters is apparently due in part to a direct effect of this enzyme on lung tissue and is not dependent on polymorphonuclear leukocytes and alveolar macrophages, which can be removed from alveolar spaces by repeated lavage.

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