Role of lipids in bone marrow-induced pulmonary edema

We examined the mechanism of the bone marrow-induced pulmonary edema in the isolated Ringer-perfused rabbit lung. Bone marrow administration (0.2 ml/kg body wt) increased pulmonary arterial pressure, capillary pressure, arterial resistance, and venous resistance within 2-4 min. Bone marrow also produced marked increases in lung wet weight and the capillary filtration coefficient but at later time points (90-120 min) during the perfusion. Only the triglyceride-containing lipid component of the bone marrow produced increases in pulmonary hemodynamics, lung wet weight, and the capillary filtration coefficient comparable to those observed after bone marrow. Bone marrow and the lipid component of bone marrow both produced increases in venous effluent lipoprotein lipase activity (the enzyme responsible for hydrolysis of triglycerides to free fatty acids). Bone marrow also stimulated the production of thromboxane B2 but not 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha in the perfused lung. Both meclofenamate (1 microM), a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and U-60,257 (10 microM), a lipoxygenase inhibitor, attenuated the bone marrow-induced pulmonary hemodynamic response, whereas only U-60,257 attenuated the increases in lung wet weight and the capillary filtration coefficient. In conclusion, pulmonary embolization induced by bone marrow results in increases in lung weight and the capillary filtration coefficient in the isolated Ringer-perfused rabbit lung. Pulmonary vasoconstriction is partially dependent on arachidonic acid metabolites but appears to be independent of circulating blood-formed elements. The lipid component of bone marrow or products derived from this component (e.g., free fatty acids and lipoxygenase products) may mediate the bone marrow-induced pulmonary edema.