The discovery of mechanisms that regulate salt and water transport by the alveolar and distal airway epithelium of the lung has generated new insights into the regulation of lung fluid balance under both normal and pathological conditions. There is convincing evidence that active sodium and chloride transporters are expressed in the distal lung epithelium and are responsible for the ability of the lung to remove alveolar fluid at the time of birth as well as in the mature lung when pathological conditions lead to the development of pulmonary edema. Currently, the best described molecular transporters are the epithelial sodium channel, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, Na+-K+-ATPase, and several aquaporin water channels. Both catecholamine-dependent and -independent mechanisms can upregulate isosmolar fluid transport across the distal lung epithelium. Experimental and clinical studies have made it possible to examine the role of these transporters in the resolution of pulmonary edema.

SummaryReversible airway hyperreactivity underlies the pathophysiology of asthma, yet the precise mediators of the response remain unclear. Human studies have correlated aberrant activation of T helper (Th) 2-like effector systems in the airways with disease. A routine model of airway hyperreactivity in response to acetylcholine was established using mice immunized with ovalburain and challenged with aerosolized antigen. No airway hyperreactivity occurred in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Identically immunized BALB/c mice developed an influx of cells, with a predominance of eosinophils and CD4 + T cells, into the lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at the time that substantial changes in airway pressure and resistance were quantitated. Challenged animals developed marked increases in Th2 cytokine production, eosinophil influx, and serum immunoglobulin E levels. Neutralization of interleukin (IL) 4 using monoclonal antibodies administered during the period of systemic immunization abrogated airway hyperreactivity but had little effect on the influx of eosinophils. Administration of anti-IL-4 only during the period of the aerosol challenge did not affect the subsequent response to acetylcholine. Finally, administration of anti-IL-5 antibodies at levels that suppressed eosinophils to < 1% of recruited cells had no effect on the subsequent airway responses. BALB/c mice had significantly greater airway responses than C57BL/6 mice, consistent with enhanced IL-4 responses to antigen in BALB/c mice. Taken together, these data implicate IL-4 generated during the period of lymphocyte priming with antigen in establishing the cascade of responses required to generate airway hyperreactivity to inhaled antigen. No role for IL-5 or eosinophils could be demonstrated.

Substantial progress has been made in understanding the role of the distal airway and alveolar epithelial barriers in regulating lung fluid balance. Molecular, cellular, and whole animal studies have demonstrated that reabsorption of fluid from the distal air spaces of the lung is driven by active sodium transport. Several different in vivo, in situ, and isolated lung preparations have been used to study the mechanisms that regulate fluid transport in the normal and injured lung. Catecholamine-dependent and -independent regulatory mechanisms have been identified that modulate fluid transport, probably by acting on apical sodium channel uptake or the activity of the Na, K-ATPase pumps. Recently, a family of molecular water channels (aquaporins) has been identified that are small (approximately 30 kDa) integral membrane proteins expressed widely in fluid-transporting epithelia and endothelia. At present, four different water channels have been identified in trachea and lung. Measurements of osmotic water permeability in in situ perfused lung and isolated perfused airways suggest a significant contribution of these molecular water channels to measured water permeability. However, further studies are required to determine the role of these water channels in normal pulmonary physiology and disease. Recent studies have provided new insights into the role of the alveolar epithelial barrier in clinical and experimental acute lung injury. Unlike the lung endothelium, the alveolar epithelium is resistant to several clinically relevant types of injury, including endotoxemia and bacteremia as well as aspiration of hyperosmolar solutions. In addition, even when the alveolar barrier has been injured, its capacity to transport edema fluid from the distal air spaces of the lung recovers rapidly. Future studies need to integrate new insights into the molecular mechanisms of alveolar epithelial sodium and water transport with functional studies in the normal and injured lung.

Acid aspiration lung injury may be mediated primarily by neutrophils recruited to the lung by acid-induced cytokines. We hypothesized that a major acid-induced cytokine was

Exogenous administration of fi-adrenergic agonists has previously been reported to increase lung liquid clearance by stimulation of active sodium transport across the alveolar epithelium. We hypothetized for this study that endogenous release of epinephrine in septic shock would stimulate liquid clearance from the airspaces in rats. Liquid clearance from the air spaces was measured by the concentration of protein over 4 h in a test solution of 5% albumin instilled into one lung. Bacteremic rats developed severe systemic hypotension and metabolic acidosis that was associated with a 100-fold rise in plasma epinephrine levels. There was a 100% increase in liquid clearance from the airspaces of the lung in the bacteremic compared with control rats. To determine the mechanisms responsible for this accelerated lung liquid clearance, amiloride (10'-M), a sodium transport inhibitor, was added to the air spaces. Amiloride prevented the increase in liquid clearance from the airspaces, indicating that this effect depended on increased uptake of sodium across the lung epithelium. The addition of propranolol (10-4 or iO' M) to the instillate also prevented the acceleration in alveolar liquid clearance in the bacteremic rats. We conclude that the release of endogenous catecholamines associated with septic shock markedly stimulates fluid clearance from the distal airspaces of the lung by a 8-adrenergic mediated stimulation of active sodium transport across the epithelial barrier. This data provides evidence for a previously unrecognized mechanism that can protect against or hasten the resolution of alveolar edema in pathological conditions, such as septic shock, that are associated with the endogenous release of catecholamines. (J. Clin. Invest. 1994. 94:663-671.)