Surfactant phosphatidylcholine in thermally injured pigs.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a thermal injury on pulmonary surfactant phosphatidylcholine kinetics.


METHODS
Random, controlled study.


METHODS
University research laboratory.


METHODS
Yorkshire swine (n = 8) with and without a 40% total body surface area burn.


METHODS
A new isotope tracer methodology was used to quantify surfactant phosphatidylcholine kinetics. Four days after burn, [1,2-13C2]acetate and [U-(13)C16]palmitate were infused continuously for 8 hrs to quantify surfactant phosphatidylcholine synthesis, secretion, recycling, and irreversible loss.


RESULTS
The total surfactant phosphatidylcholine pool size was reduced from the control value of 2.65 +/- 0.05 to 1.61 +/- 0.08 micromol/g wet lung in burned animals (p <.05), as was the proportional contribution of palmitate to lung surfactant phosphatidylcholine composition. This reduction was associated with a significant decrease in lung dynamic compliance from the control value of 66 +/- 6 to 55 +/- 6 mL/cm H2O for burned pigs (p <.05). The most prominent response of lung phosphatidylcholine kinetics was a decrease in the total lung phosphatidylcholine synthesis from a control value of 12.7 +/- 1.2 to 5.5 +/- 0.3 nmol phosphatidylcholine-bound palmitate x hr(-1) x g of wet lung(-1) in burned animals (p<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary phosphatidylcholine content and palmitate composition decrease after burn injury because of a decrease in the rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis. These responses likely contribute to impaired lung compliance.
Martini
W Z
WZ
Shriners Burns Hospital and the Departments of Surgery and Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Irtun
O
O
Chinkes
D L
DL
Barrow
R E
RE
Wolfe
R R
RR
D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008170:Lung Compliance; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013552:Swine; D014501:Uranium
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D014501:Uranium