Christensen T G, Lucey E C, Breuer R, Snider G L
Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Massachusetts.
Environ Res. 1988 Feb;45(1):78-90. doi: 10.1016/s0013-9351(88)80010-0.
Hamsters were exposed to an intratracheal instillation of 0.5 ml of 0.08 N nitric, hydrochloric, or sulfuric acid to determine their airway epithelial response. Three weeks after exposure, the left intrapulmonary bronchi in Alcian blue/PAS-stained paraffin sections were evaluated for the amount of secretory product in the airway epithelium as a measure of secretory cell metaplasia (SCM). Compared to saline-treated control animals, all three acids caused statistically significant SCM. In addition to the bronchial lesion, all three acids caused similar interstitial fibrosis, bronchiolectasis, and bronchiolization of alveoli that varied in individual animals from mild to severe. In a separate experiment to study the persistence of the SCM, hamsters treated with a single instillation of 0.1 N nitric acid showed significant SCM 3, 7, and 17 weeks after exposure. There was a high correlation (r = 0.96) between a subjective assessment of SCM and objective assessment using a digital image-analysis system. We conclude that protons induce SCM independently of the associated anion; the SCM persists at least 17 weeks. Sulfuric acid is an atmospheric pollutant and nitric acid may form locally on the mucosa of lungs exposed to nitrogen dioxide. These acids may contribute to the development or maintenance of the SCM seen in the conducting airways of humans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
将0.5毫升0.08N的硝酸、盐酸或硫酸经气管内滴注给仓鼠，以确定它们气道上皮的反应。暴露三周后，对阿尔辛蓝/过碘酸希夫（Alcian blue/PAS）染色的石蜡切片中的左肺内支气管进行评估，以气道上皮中分泌产物的量作为分泌细胞化生（SCM）的指标。与生理盐水处理的对照动物相比，所有三种酸均引起具有统计学意义的SCM。除支气管病变外，所有三种酸均引起相似的间质纤维化、细支气管扩张和肺泡细支气管化生，其在个体动物中的严重程度从轻度到重度不等。在一项研究SCM持续性的单独实验中，单次滴注0.1N硝酸处理的仓鼠在暴露后3周、7周和17周均出现显著的SCM。SCM的主观评估与使用数字图像分析系统的客观评估之间存在高度相关性（r = 0.96）。我们得出结论，质子独立于相关阴离子诱导SCM；SCM至少持续17周。硫酸是一种大气污染物，硝酸可能在暴露于二氧化氮的肺黏膜局部形成。这些酸可能促成慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者传导气道中所见SCM的发生或维持。
