Early effects of n-hexane and irradiation on the lung surfactant system.

Short-term exposure to low concentrations (4260 p. p. m.) of n-hexane or/and x-ray radiation was found to affect considerably the amount and composition of pulmonary surfactant in rats. There was a time-dependent increase of phospholipids in the broncho alveolar lavage (BAL), being more pronounced in the later period studied (15 days) and especially after irradiation alone or in combination with n-hexane. These alterations, considered to be due to the enhanced release of phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine, into the alveolar spaces, led to the depletion of the lung tissue pool of its surfactant contents. The unidirectional effect of both noxious agents studied is supposed to perturb and strongly trigger the process of surfactant secretion.