Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
11
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-12-3
pubmed:abstractText
Bleomycin is a well known fibrogenic agent, provoking an initial adult respiratory distress syndrome-like injury with subsequent strong fibroproliferative response. Severe abnormalities of the alveolar surfactant system, which may be linked to the appearance of alveolar fibrin deposition, have been implicated in the pathogenetic sequence of events. Using a model of standardized aerosol delivery of 1.8 U bleomycin/kg body weight in rabbits, we investigated the influence of repetitive nebulization of heparin or urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) on the development of lung fibrosis. In an "early" (Days 2-12 postbleomycin) or "late" (Days 14-24 post-bleomycin) treatment protocol, approximately 3,500 U heparin or approximately 6,500 U u-PA was delivered to the bronchoalveolar space. Within four weeks, the bleomycin challenge provoked severe pulmonary fibrosis with reduction of lung compliance, marked increase in soluble collagen (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) and hydroxyproline content (lung tissue), a typical reticular fibrosis pattern on high-resolution computed tomography, and typical histologic findings. Therapeutic intervention resulted in a far-reaching normalization of compliance, suppression of soluble collagen and hydroxyproline accumulation, and virtual abrogation of the computed tomography scan and histologic features of lung fibrosis, with most prominent effects seen in the early heparin and late u-PA administration. No bleeding complications occurred. These findings strongly support the concept that alveolar fibrin generation is an important event in the development of postbleomycin lung fibrosis. "Compartmentalized" anticoagulation and/or fibrinolysis via inhalational deposition of interventional agents in the alveolar compartment may thus offer a new therapeutic strategy for prevention of fibrosis.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1073-449X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
168
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1358-65
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
Prevention of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis by aerosolization of heparin or urokinase in rabbits.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. andreas.guenther@innere.med.uni-giessen.de
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't