title: Assessment of bleomycin lung toxicity using angiotensin-converting enzyme in pulmonary lavage.
abstract: Activity of the dipeptidyl hydrolase angiotensin-converting enzyme has been observed to be altered by treatment with bleomycin. We used an animal model of bleomycin lung toxicity to study the effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in various lung fractions. Serum activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme increased only 23% after a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Lung tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme activity fell to 40% of control level (p < 0.05) and returned toward and eventually exceeded control values during the ensuing 6 weeks. However, angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in alveolar lavage fluid from bleomycin-treated rats was elevated 30-fold above the barely detectable levels found in control animals. Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in lavage fluid was soluble and was not associated with the alveolar cell pellet. Maximum elevation of lavage angiotensin-converting enzyme activity occurred 3 days following bleomycin instillation. Significant transudation of serum into alveolar lavage fluid occurred in bleomycin-treated rats. Nevertheless, this phenomenon would not explain the high levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity found in lavage fluid. Elevated lavage angiotensin-converting enzyme levels were detected after doses of bleomycin too low to cause significant sequelae of pulmonary fibrosis. Lavage angiotensin-converting enzyme is a sensitive monitor of tissue response to bleomycin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D051381:Rats; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A