Effects of streptozotocin‐induced diabetes on postpneumonectomy lung growth and connective tissue levels

Abstract

Diabetes is generally accompanied by abnormal levels of growth hormone and adrenal steroids, hormones known to modulate postpneumonectomy (post-PNX) compensatory lung growth. Thus, we examined the possibility that diabetes may affect post-PNX lung growth processes. Left PNX was performed in young diabetic rats (streptozotocin-induced; 75 mg/kg body weight) (DM-PNX) and in control rats (C-PNX), for comparison with sham-operated control rats (C-SHAM). The rats were permitted free access to food and water. Examination at day 7 after surgery showed that right lung absolute dry weight and absolute DNA, collagen and elastin contents were increased in C-PNX and DM-PNX rats (but only C-PNX values reached those of both lungs in C-SHAM rats). Body weights (BW) of DM-PNX rats were lower than those of C-PNX and C-SHAM rats. Lung DNA/BW in C-PNX and DM-PNX rats were comparable, and matched values for both lungs in C-SHAM rats. Lung dry weight/BW, collagen/BW, and elastin/BW in DM-PNX rats exceeded values in C-PNX rats and even more for values of both lungs in C-SHAM rats. Data of another experiment, comparing DM-PNX rats with body weight-matched (by food limitation) PNX and control rats (WMC-PNX and WMC-SHAM rats, respectively) indicated comparable lung absolute DNA contents in DM-PNX and WMC-PNX rats (which matched values for both lungs in WMC-SHAM rats), however, lung absolute collagen and elastic contents were greater in the DM-PNX rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)