Increased expression of platelet-derived growth factor A and insulin-like growth factor-I in BAL cells during the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Current concepts suggest that macrophages may play a central role in pulmonary fibrosis by virtue of their ability to release a variety of cytokines. In this study, the expression of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha and beta, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A and B, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I in BAL cells, which may be involved in fibroblast proliferation, was investigated in murine bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. BAL cells were obtained at 1, 15, and 29 days from Institute for Cancer Research mice after 10 days of intraperitoneal administration of BLM. The relative amounts of cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) were evaluated by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method, which simultaneously amplified complementary DNA for cytokines and beta-actin as an internal control. The level of IL-1 beta mRNA in BLM-treated mice was increased 4.5-fold compared with that in saline solution-treated (control) mice 1 day after treatment, while no significant differences were observed between the two groups at 15 and 29 days. The mRNAs of PDGF-A and IGF-I in BLM-treated mice were sustained at levels eightfold and threefold to fourfold, respectively, those of controls over 4 weeks. No significant differences were noted in IL-1 alpha and PDGF-B expression between the two groups. We conclude that IL-1 beta released from macrophages may be important in the early phase of inflammatory responses and that PDGF-A and IGF-I may play important roles in the development of BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

[Clinical and pharmacokinetics studies of ceftriaxone upon 2g once daily administration in respiratory tract infections].

Clinical studies on ceftriaxone (CTRX) were conducted with 2 g once daily administration to respiratory tract infections. In addition, CTRX concentrations in serum, sputum and urine were determined. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Clinical responses to CTRX in a total of 29 cases with respiratory tract infections were excellent in 7 cases, good in 13, fair in 8 and poor in 1 with a response rate of 69.0%. 2. CTRX concentrations in serum, sputum and urine (total and free body) were determined in 3 cases after intravenous drip infusion of 2g CTRX. Peak levels in sputum were 2.6 to 7.8 micrograms/ml, and CTRX maintained high sputum levels for 12 to 24 hours after administration.