Lung structure and function with age in normal rats and rats with papain emphysema.

Intrapulmonary deposition of the proteolytic enzyme papain produces a lesion resembling emphysema in experimental animals. The natural history of this lesion has not been well defined. The present study was performed to evaluate changes in lung structure and function with aging in normal rats and rats exposed to an aerosol of papain at 2 mo of age. Groups of control and papain-exposed animals were studied at 4, 8, and 18 mo of age. The parameters of lung function studied were specific airways' conductance (G(aw)/TGV), diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar volume (D(Lco)/V(A)), diffusing capacity (D(Lco)), and functional residual capacity (FRC). Morphometric parameters were the postfixation lung volume (V(L)) and mean chord length (L(M)); internal surface area (ISA) and ISA extrapolated to both the mean V(L) of the corresponding papain group and a V(L) of 10 ml (ISA(10)) were calculated. At 4 mo of age L(M) and FRC were significantly increased and ISA, D(Lco)/V(A), and D(Lco) were significantly reduced in the papain group. At 8 mo of age L(M) was significantly increased and ISA was significantly decreased in the papain group: physiologic studies were not performed in this group. At 18 mo of age L(M) was significantly increased and D(Lco)/V(A), D(Lco), and ISA were significantly decreased. Neither progression nor healing of the lesion was observed despite similar lung growth in both groups. This study demonstrates that a single proteolytic lung injury produces a fixed deficit of lung parenchyma. Progressive lung destruction may require repeated or continuous lung injury.