Effects of a controlled Staphylococcus aureus infection on the renewal of endoalveolar cells
Fritsch, P.; Masse, R.; Arnoux, A.; Chrétien, J.
Bulletin Europeen de Physiopathologie Respiratoire 19(2): 107-110
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0395-3890 PMID: 6871491 Document Number: 206952
We have studied, in rats, the influence of the intratracheal injection of 30 X 10(6) Staphylococcus aureus upon the differential count and renewal of the cell populations extracted by pulmonary lavage. In vivo labelling of alveolar macrophages was performed by intratracheal injection of 125I iododeoxyuridine, and the evolution of the labelled population was quantitatively followed up after scheduled sacrifice. Dividing cells were also identified at all times in the lavage population, after incorporation of (3H)-thymidine in vitro and autoradiography. The injection of Staphylococcus aureus induced an acute inflammatory process followed by the migration of polymorphonuclears, lymphocytes and macrophages mainly during the first 24 hours. Later on, no viable bacteria were observed and the cell populations returned to control values. Kinetic parameters were found varying as a function of the cell type. The early increase of macrophages was mainly produced by the migration of monocytes, which exhibited a shorter lifespan in alveolus than did resident macrophages. The inflammatory reaction observed, whilst inducing a considerable modification of the cell distributions, did not significantly modify the lifespan of macrophages located within alveolus before the aggression.