Overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} produces an increase in lung volumes and pulmonary hypertension

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology 2001-01, Vol.280 (1), p.39
• Main Authors: Fujita, Masaki, Shannon, John M, Irvin, Charles G, Fagan, Karen A, Cool, Carlyne, Augustin, Andrei, Mason, Robert J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1040-0605; 1522-1504

1  Department of Medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver 80206; and 2  Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Laboratory, University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver, Colorado 80262 Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- is a key proinflammatory cytokine that is thought to be important in the development of pulmonary fibrosis, whereas its role in pulmonary emphysema has not been as thoroughly documented. In the present study, TNF- was overexpressed in alveolar type II cells under the control of the human surfactant protein C promoter. In this report, we further characterized the pulmonary abnormalities and provided a physiological assessment of these mice. Histopathology of the lungs revealed chronic inflammation, severe alveolar air space enlargement and septal destruction, and bronchiolitis. However, pulmonary fibrosis was very limited and only seen in the subpleural, peribronchiolar, and perivascular regions. Physiological assessment showed an increase in lung volumes and a decrease in elastic recoil characteristic of emphysema; there was no evidence of restrictive lung disease characteristic of pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, the mice raised in ambient conditions in Denver developed pulmonary hypertension. Gelatinase activity was increased in the lavage fluid from these lungs. These results suggest that in these mice TNF- contributed to the development of pulmonary emphysema through chronic lung inflammation and activation of the elastolytic enzymes but by itself was unable to produce significant pulmonary fibrosis. emphysema; pulmonary fibrosis; pulmonary hypertension