Radiation injury in rat lung. I. Prostacyclin (PGI2) production, arterial perfusion, and ultrastructure

Pulmonary prostacyclin (PGI2) production, arterial perfusion, and ultrastructure were correlated in rats sacrificed from 1 day to 6 months after a single exposure of 25 Gy of gamma rays to the right hemithorax. PGI2 production by the irradiated lung decreased to approximately half the normal value 1 day after irradiation (P less than 0.05), then increased steadily throughout the study. By 6 months postirradiation, the right lung produced two to three times as much PGI2 as did either shielded left lung or sham-irradiated lungs (P less than 0.05). Perfusion scans revealed hyperemia of the right lung from 1 to 14 days after irradiation. From its peak at 14 days postirradiation, however, perfusion of the irradiated lung decreased steadily, then reached a plateau from 3 to 6 months at less than half that in the shielded left lung. Electron micrographs of the right lung revealed perivascular edema from 1 to 30 days after irradiation. The right lung then exhibited changes typical of radiation pneumonitis followed by progressive interstitial fibrosis. Platelet aggregates were not observed at any time. Thus, decreased PGI2 production is an immediate but transient response of the lung to radiation injury. Then from 2 to 6 months after irradiation, the fibrotic, hypoperfused lung produces increasing amounts of the potent vasodilator and antithrombotic agent, PGI2. Pulmonary PGI2 production and arterial perfusion are inversely correlated for at least 6 months after hemithoracic irradiation.     

Immunocytochemical localization of the Ca2+-ATPase polypeptide in human platelets

Specific polyclonal antibodies raised against purified human platelet Ca2+-ATPase were used with protein A-gold immunocytochemistry to localize this protein in human platelets. Immunolabeling specifically detected Ca2+-ATPase over the surface connected membrane system (SCS) in sections of paraformaldehyde-fixed, Lowicryl-embedded platelets. The maximum density of label, determined by quantitative morphometric techniques, was observed over electron-dense regions within the SCS which may represent specialized structures for uptake and release of Ca2+. Less intense immunolabeling was observed over cytosol and may represent localization over the dense tubular system (DTS) which was not readily visualized under the processing procedures employed.     

Regulation of natural killer cell activity by macrophages in the rheumatoid joint and peripheral blood

Recently, in another study, we observed that indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, significantly increased NK activity in both normal and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) peripheral blood (PB) but not in RA synovial fluid (SF). Because macrophages are a major source of prostaglandins, we examined the effect of macrophage-enriched adherent cells (AC) on NK activity as measured by a 3-hr Cr-release assay with K 562 cells. The removal of AC resulted in increased (p less than 0.01) NK activity in both normal and RA PB. In contrast, the removal of AC from RA SF resulted in a significant decrease (p less than 0.001) of NK activity. By using only nonadherent cells (NAC), NK activity in RA SF and synovial tissue (ST) was significantly reduced when compared to autologous RA PB (p less than 0.001). Enhancement of NK activity of SF NAC by both poly I:C and IL 2 was not dependent on AC. Mixing experiments demonstrated that the addition of synovial AC for 16 hr increased NK activity of synovial NAC to a level similar to that of unseparated mononuclear cells, whereas autologous PB AC suppressed NK activity of PB NAC. PB AC, when added to SF NAC, also increased NK activity. Supernatants from synovial mononuclear cells were stimulatory of synovial NAC NK activity, whereas normal PB mononuclear supernatants were suppressive. These observations document 1) a significant reduction of NAC-mediated NK activity in the rheumatoid joint as compared to PB from the same patient, and 2) that AC modulate NK activity differently in the rheumatoid joint as compared to RA or normal PB.