No abstract

Isolated alveolar type II cells were exposed to ozone by gas diffusion through the thin Teflon bottom of culture dishes. After exposure, type II cells were further incubated in the presence of labeled substrates to assess the capacity to synthesize surfactant lipids. The incorporation of [Me-14C]choline into both total and disaturated phosphatidylcholines in inhibited to 50% of the control values under conditions that result in a diffusion of 0.4 microgram O3/18 cm2-dish per 2.5 h. The incorporation rates of [1-14C]palmitate, [1-14C]acetate, D[U-14C]glucose, and [1,3-3H]glycerol into phosphatidylcholines are also lower after ozone exposure. Moreover, the synthesis of phosphatidylglycerols and phosphatidylethanolamines from these substrates is also inhibited by exposure of type II cells to ozone. These incorporation studies indicate that the effect of ozone is early in the biosynthetic pathway, probably at the step catalyzed by the enzyme glycerolphosphate acyltransferase. Determination of the activity of this enzyme after the ozone exposure shows that it is decreased, whereas the activity of lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase is increased. The activity of choline phosphotransferase also appears to be decreased after exposure of type II cells to ozone, although this enzyme was less susceptible than glycerolphosphate acyltransferase. Studies with the sulfhydryl reagent 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) indicate a positive correlation between the effect of this compound on enzyme activities in sonicated type II cells and the sensitivity of these enzymes in intact cells to ozone. This suggests that the effect of ozone on the synthesis of surfactant lipids is at least partially exerted via oxidation of the sulfhydryl groups of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase.

Lamellar bodies, the intracellular storage form of pulmonary surfactant, were isolated from adult human lung tissue. As shown by electron microscopy, the isolated human lamellar bodies resembled the lamellar bodies isolated from experimental animals. Chemical analysis revealed that the lamellar bodies consisted largely of lipids, particularly phospholipids (85%). The major phospholipid was phosphatidylcholine, which accounted for 71% of the total phospholipids. Phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine were 10 and 8%, respectively, of the lamellar body phospholipid. Phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin were minor components. Cholesterol was found to represent 60% of the neutral lipids or 9% of the total lipids. Phosphatidylcholine contained largely saturated fatty acids, of which palmitic acid was the most abundant. Disaturated phosphatidylcholines comprised 67% of the total phosphatidylcholines. Phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine contained considerably less saturated fatty acids. Only 24% of phosphatidylglycerol was disaturated. The chemical composition of adult human lamellar bodies was very similar to that of lamellar bodies derived from experimental animals. The similarities in morphology and chemical composition of lamellar bodies suggest that surfactant metabolism in human lung may be similar to that of other mammals.

Type II cells were exposed to ozone by gas diffusion through the thin Teflon bottom of culture dishes. The rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis by type II cells, monitored by the incorporation of [Me-14C]choline, was impaired by ozone at concentrations that did not affect other cellular parameters. The enzymes choline kinase and cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase were not susceptible to inactivation by ozone at concentrations at which the activity of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase was decreased. The enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase increased after ozone exposure. The specific activity of choline kinase in the cytosolic fraction of type II cells was fivefold that in whole lung. The metabolism of [Me-14C]choline was studied as a function of the choline concentration. Maximal rates of phosphatidylcholine synthesis were already attained at a concentration of 20 microM choline. Exposure of type II cells to ozone did not affect the recovery of label from [Me-14C]choline in choline phosphate and CDP choline. However, the maximal rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis decreased after ozone exposure, which indicates that the decreased apparent activity of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase limits the supply of diacylglycerols and thereby the rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis. If the flux through the diacylglycerol pathway was stimulated by the addition of palmitic acid, a higher maximal rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis was observed. The uptake of [Me-14C]choline and the recovery of label in CDPcholine were not altered by the addition of different concentrations of palmitate. It is concluded that type II cells take up choline very efficiently, probably due to the high specific activity of choline kinase. At low choline concentrations the rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis is determined by the supply of CDPcholine. At concentrations of choline in the upper physiological range, the rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis is determined by the availability of diacylglycerols, which in turn is limited by the apparent activity of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase.