Abstract

Although it is well established that steroid is effective for treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), the action mechanism of steroid on NRDS is not well known. Several authors have insisted that steroid increases secretion of pulmonary surfactant from type II pneumocyte, but others have insisted that steroid does not affect the secretory function of the type II pneumocyte. And some authors have suggested that steroid may cause compositional change of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid. From these aspects, it is desirable to confirm the effect of steroid on the secretory function of the type II pneumocyte. In order to know the effect of steroid on pulmonary surfactant activity, phospholipid phosphorus of lung lavage was measured and composition of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid of lung lavage was analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) in control (c), pneumonectomized (PN), and pneumonectomized with betamethasone treated (PNS) rabbits. And lung weight and lung weight-body weight ratio were measured in each experimental group also. In PN group, right lung pneumonectomy was performed as PN group, and one day after the surgery, betamethasone was injected for four days intramusculary (4 mg/day) and rabbits were sacrificed. The experiment yielded following results. PNS group's lung weight was significantly (p<0.01) heavier than C group's, but in comparison with PN group's it showed no significant change. PNS group's L/B ratio was significantly (p<0.05) higher than C group's, but compared with PN group's it showed no significant change. The value of phospholipid phosphorus content of PNS group was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of C group. Even if the value of phospholipid phosphorus content in PNS group was not significantly higher than that of PN group, it showed increasing tendency compared with that of PN group. And in an analysis of the thin layer chromatogram, quantity (µmol/gm of wet weight lung) of phosphatidylcholine in PNS group decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared with C and PN group. From these results, it may be suggested that though steroid inhibits cellular hyperplasia in the compensatory growing lung, it auguments the secretory function of type II pneumocyte and causes compositional change of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid.