ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of crotonaldehyde exposure on lung injury in male rats,and to explore the mechanism of toxic action. METHODS: Specific pathogen free healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4groups with 10 rats in each group: a control group and low-,medium- and high-dose groups. Rats were treated with 0. 00,2. 11,4. 22,8. 44 mg / kg body weigh crotonaldehyde by intra-gastric administration,once per day for 25 consecutive days.After the last treatment,rats were secrificed and the lung was isolated. Lung organ coefficients were calculated and the pathologic changes in lung tissues were observed. The levels of interferon( IFN)-γ,interleukin( IL)-1 β,IL-4,IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor( TNF)-α in lung tissue were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The lung tissue in both the medium- and high-dose group showed early inflammatory pathological changes with alveolar structure damage,interval widened and inflammatory cell infiltration,congestion,bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia,visible red blood cells and inflammatory cells infiltration. The changes in the high-dose group were more severe than that in the medium-dose group. The lung organ coefficient and the levels of IFN-γ,IL-1 β,IL-4,IL-6,TNF-α in lung tissue were increased in dose-effect relations( P < 0. 01). CONCLUSION: Crotonaldehyde can increase the level of inflammatory factors in the lung tissues of rats,causing inflammatory injury of lung tissue.