Alveolar epithelial cells after intratumour administration of HREC TNF-alpha mutein VI.

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of intratumour mutein VI-Hrec TNF-alpha administration upon the ultrastructural changes within the pulmonary tissue, with special attention paid to type II alveolar epithelial cells. The experiment was carried out on Buffalo rats with implantable Morris hepatoma series 5123 in the skeletal muscles of the limb. Mutein VI-Hrec TNF-alpha was administered in a dose of 10 micrograms once a day in a cycle of eight days. Control animals were given saline (PBS). Ultrastructural changes within the pulmonary tissue were evaluated in the electron transmission microscope (TEM), with special attention paid to alveolar epithelial cells. In the animals receiving hrec TNF-alpha mutein VI, damage to the alveolar epithelial cells was found. In the later period (14 days after the mutein treatment), repairing processes were observed, accompanied by intensified fibrotic processes in the interalveolar septal interstitium, with the subsequent pulmonary tissue rebuilding. The study confirmed the possibility of a peripheral action of hrec TNF-alpha mutein VI after its administration to the experimental Morris hepatoma and found the alveolar epithelial cells to be a key element of the pulmonary tissue subjected to the cytokine effect.