[Study on inflammatory response and alteration of biochemical components in BALF from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia].
OBJECTIVE
To study the cellular and biochemical changes in airways in pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).


METHODS
The cellular and biochemical changes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) between PCP and bacterial pneumonia in rat models induced by cortisone acetate(GC) injections were compared. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and type IV collagenase(matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-2, MMP-9) in BALF were measured. The rats were divided into four groups: (1) normal controls: 6 healthy SD rats; (2) negative control: 6 rats with GC injection over 8 weeks without lung infection; (3) bacterial pneumonia: 11 rats with GC injection over 8 weeks complicating bacterial pneumonia without other pathogens isolated; (4) PCP: 14 rats with GC injection during 8-12 weeks complicating PCP without other pathogens isolated.


RESULTS
In PCP the total cell counts (6.9 +/- 2.6) x 10(6)/L and the percentage of PMNs (18.6 +/- 6.0)% in BALF were increased compared with negative control(P < 0.01), but were lower than those in bacterial pneumonia group(P < 0.01). ALB in BALF in PCP (623 +/- 484) g/L was increased compared with negative control (36 +/- 16) g/L(P < 0.05) and bacterial pneumonia(91 +/- 43) g/L(P < 0.05). The activities of ALP and LDH in PCP [(217 +/- 81) U/L, (208 +/- 82) U/L respectively] were higher than those in negative control [(75 +/- 37) U/L, (86 +/- 61) U/L, P < 0.05)] and bacterial pneumonia [(90 +/- 45) U/L, (130 +/- 75) U/L, P < 0.05]. The activities of Type IV collagenase, including MMP-2, MMP-9, were increased in PCP compared with negative control (P < 0.001) and bacterial pneumonia (P < 0.001, P < 0.01), and the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 had positive correlations with total cell counts in BALF (r = 0.652, P < 0.05; r = 0.803, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
It suggests that there are differences in the cellular and biochemical aspects of lung inflammation and injury between PCP and bacterial pneumonia.
Rong
Z
Z
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032.
He
L
L
Qu
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9