Enzymatic Changes in Lung Lavage Fluid from Rats Exposed to Inhaled NM

摘要

Bronchopulmonary lavage fluid of rats exposed, by inhalation, to chronic levels of NM was analyzed for enzymatic activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase. This was done in an effort to correlate activity of these enzymes with histopathological changes in the lungs of rats previously exposed to NM and to validate this technique as an early indicator of lung damage. The results indicated damage to the lungs and demonstrated the lung inflammatory response and a lengthy repair process that followed, which indeed correlated well with the histopathological findings in rats exposed to NM. It was therefore shown to be a rapid indicator of lung damage, inflammation, and repair.