The Chemical Composition of Fresh Human Lung Parenchyma

Abstract

Samples were taken at biopsies of peripheral lung tissue from patients with and without emphysema. The emphysematous patients were diagnosed as such by lung function tests and clinical history, and affirmed by the pathological anatomy of the resection preparations. The other group comprised patients negative for emphysema in all respects. A number of biochemically important substances were determined quantitatively in the dried, powder and defatted lung tissue. Typical cellular parameters, such as DNA, RNA and protein, were not different in the groups. Neither the soluble nor the buffer-insoluble collagen were quantitatively different in both groups; the individual variation is great. The amount of soluble collagen relative to the insoluble collagen per sample is much less variable; this ratio is the same in both groups as well. The total amount of mucopolysaccharides as measured by the uronic acid content is hardly different in both groups. The relative amount of galactosamine-containing mucopolysaccharides in emphysematous patients is significantly lower than in ‘normals’. This is still more evident if the ratio glucosamine/galactosamine is determined. This ratio is 3.20 for emphysematous patients compared to 0.77 in the non-emphysematous subjects.

The Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Emphysema (II)

“…In our study [67] a significantly increased glucosamine/galactosamine ratio was found in emphysema patients compared to normal subjects. This ratio is a measure for the HA to CSA proportion.…”

“…The total amount of glycosaminoglycans proved to be hardly different in emphysematous patients as compared to normal ones [67,114]. In our study [67] a significantly increased glucosamine/galactosamine ratio was found in emphysema patients compared to normal subjects.…”

“…Exclusion of these elements is a prerequisite in the study of the building stones of lung parenchyma proper. Moreover, for the analysis of GAG fresh or im mediately frozen material should be studied [52,67].…”

“…As we explained in our first papers [66,67], there are good arguments for the idea that the ground substance plays a key role in the changes of the connective tissue framework, which are characteristic for generalised emphysema.…”

Immunoquantification of type I, III, IV and V collagen in small samples of human lung parenchyma

“…Type I, II and III collagen neecj for sensitive, collagen type-specific constitute the bulk of lung collagen, type II assays. collagen being restricted to the cartilage of the most used assay to quantify collagen in lung has been by measuring hydroxyproline (Pierce and Hocott, 1960;Laros et aL, 1972 4 5 'C. The CNBr stock solution contained 2 g/ml acetonitrile.…”