The effect of vanadium on lung collagen content and composition in two successive generations of rats

Lung collagen content in rats continuously exposed for two generations to 20 ppm vanadium as sodium metavanadate drinking solution was quantified by measurement of hydroxyproline in hydrolysates of whole lungs. The content of soluble and insoluble collagen isolated from the lungs of the same treated rats was also quantified by the same means. It was found that the content and composition of lung collagen for both F1 term fetuses and 21-day-old F1 pups of the treated group did not differ from the results obtained for control rats of the same age. However, total collagen and soluble collagen within lungs of adult F1 rats and F2 term fetuses were significantly lower than in non-treated controls, while the content of insoluble lung collagen of the same rats was significantly higher.