A Novel Mechanism for Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity: Phagocyte Mediated Lung Injury

Abstract

Pulmonary oxygen toxicity is an important clinical problem whose pathogenesis remains poorly understood despite many investigations. 1 Clark JM Lambertson CJ Pulmonary oxygen toxicity: A review. Pharmacol Rev. 1971; 23: 37-133 PubMed Google Scholar , 2 Deneke SM Fanburg BL Normobaric oxygen toxicity of the lung. N Engl J Med. 1980; 303: 76-86 Crossref PubMed Scopus (306) Google Scholar While increased lung water and pleural effusions are often seen acutely in animals exposed to 100% O2, the cause of this noncardiogenic pulmonary edema is not known. However, since phagocytes, such as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and monocytes, can cause increased vascular permeability in nephritis, 3 Cochrane CG Unanue ER Dixon FJ A role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and complement in nephrotoxic nephritis. J Exp Med. 1965; 122: 99-116 Crossref PubMed Scopus (240) Google Scholar , 4 Schreiner GF Cotran RS Pardo V Unanue ER A mononuclear cell component in experimental immunological glomerulonephritis. J Exp Med. 1978; 147: 369-384 Crossref PubMed Scopus (246) Google Scholar we looked for evidence that they might also be involved in pulmonary oxygen toxicity.