Thromboxane release from irradiated perfused rat lungs: role of oncotic agents

Isolated lungs from 20 Gray (Gy) whole body irradiated rats were perfused with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate plus 3% bovine serum albumin (KRB-BSA). The pulmonary effluent showed a 99% (p less than .05) increase in immunoassayable thromboxane B2 (iTXB2) release compared with non-irradiated lungs. Since both arachidonic acid and cyclooxygenase products bind to albumin, studies were performed to determine if omission or substitution of this protein oncotic agent would alter the radiation-induced increase in pulmonary iTXB2 release. Irradiated, isolated lungs perfused with media from which the BSA was omitted (KRB) did not demonstrate the radiation-induced increase in pulmonary iTXB2 release. Similarly, irradiated lungs perfused with media in which Dextran 70 (KRB plus 3% Dextran 70, KRB-Dextran 70) was substituted for BSA also did not show the radiation-induced increase in pulmonary effluent iTXB2 levels. These studies demonstrate the importance of including albumin as the oncotic agent in perfused organ systems when studying cyclooxygenase product release.