THE EFFECT OF HYPEROXIA AND CALORIC RESTRICTION ON PULMONARY DISATURATED PHOSPHATIDYL CHOLINE (DSPC)

Abstract

To study the individual and combined effects of hyperoxia and caloric restriction on pulmonary DSPC, 100 one day old newborn rabbits were randomly grouped into Grp 1 (n=23), FiO2 .21, fed full calories; Grp 2 (n=31), FiO2 .21 fed 1/3 cals; Grp 3 (n=19), FiO2 .95, fed full cals and Grp 4 (n=27), FiO2 .95, fed 1/3 cals. Rabbits were weighed daily and gavage fed equal volumes of full or 1/3 cal veterinary formula and housed in heated incubators through which humidified FiO2 .21 or .95 was circulated. After 84 hours exposure to the above conditions the DSPC content of the alveolar wash (AW) and lung homogenate (H), as well as the lung protein (P) and DNA were estimated.The data suggest that restricted cals alone inhibit weight gain while neither hyperoxia nor restricted cals individually affects lung P, DNA, AW, or H-DSPC content. However, together they have an additive and inhibitory effect on the number of lung cells and alveolar surfactant content. Similar exposure to hyperoxia and caloric restriction in the human neonate may adversely affect recovery from pulmonary disease.