Experimental phospholipidosis induced by 4,4'-diethyl-aminoethoxyhexestrol. Morphological and biochemical interpretations.

The effect of a generalized phospholipidosis inducing drug, diethylamino-ethoxyhexestrol (DH, a coronary vasodilator), was studied using rats. The initial alterations are characterized by the appearance of abnormal cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. At the early stage of DH administration, they appeared near the Golgi apparatus. Histochemical and ultrastructural evidence showed that the inclusion bodies consisted of polar lipid, mainly of phospholipids. From cytochemical and biochemical observation, the lysosome was regarded as the primary site of the drug-induced morphological changes. The drug-induced abnormal cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were of three basic morphological types, i.e., multilamellated, crystalloid and finger-print-like bodies. Additionally, many intermediate forms were found showing structural features of those basic types. These drug-induced cytoplasmic changes, namely storage of phospholipids, were considered to be reversible both morphologically and biochemically after the cessation of DH administration.