Effects of soybean lecithin on the morphology and surface activity of mouse lung
Pereles, L.; Adamson, I.Y.
Journal of Environmental Pathology and Toxicology 1(5): 561-568
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0146-4779 PMID: 569181 Document Number: 138524
Respiratory distress can result from the deliberate inhalation of non-stick cooking preparations which contain soybean lecithin and fluorocarbon propellant. Whereas most studies focused on the toxic fluorocarbons, the present investigation examined the effects of the lecithin component on lung surface tension and morphology. In vitro spraying or adding lecithin to isolated lung lavages from normal mice raised the minimum surface tension. After exposing mice to aerosolized lecithin (4 h/day for 2 days) the bubble stability, an index of surface tension, was significantly reduced. The lungs showed focal endothelial cell swelling and interstitial edema. When lecithin was administered by intratracheal intubation, bubble stability dropped significantly within 1 h and did not return to normal for 5 days. At 1 day intraalveolar edema with morphologic evidence of surfactant disruption was observed. There were areas of alveolar collapse and lipid pneumonia was found in some lungs. Soybean lecithin can raise the surface tension of the lung by interacting with the surfactant lining. Edema and focal collapse are secondary events which increase in severity with the quanity of lecithin deposited in the alveoli.