Effects of experimental acute pancreatitis in dogs on metabolism of lung surfactant phosphatidylcholine.

Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis was produced in the dogs by transduodenal injection of autologous bile into the main pancreatic duct. There was no significant change in the activity of three regulatory enzymes of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis (glycerophosphate acyltransferase, cytidyltransferase and cholinephosphotransferase) in lung; however, there was a 42% decrease in the amount of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (surfactant) in lung lavage due to acute pancreatitis. The decrease in lavage phospholipid content was associated with 5-fold increase in phospholipase A2 activity of lung lavage, and massive accumulation of osmiophilic spheroid structures in the alveolar space.