Hyperoxic-induced alterations in lung cell structure and function. Effects on cellular cyclic AMP content and...

Hyperoxic exposure in vitro of two lung-derived cell types (the epithelial-derived L2 cells and WI-38 fibroblasts) inhibits cellular replication, produces striking morphologic changes and may result in cell death; these effects have been observed consistently in other cell types. Hyperoxic exposure of L2 cells is associated with an increase in cellular cyclic AMP content (cellular cyclic AMP content 454 +/- 115 fmol/micrograms DNA in cells exposed to pO2 677 Torr for 96 h compared to 136 +/- 17 fmol/microgram DNA in air-grown cells). Hyperoxic exposure of WI-38 fibroblasts is not associated with increased cyclic AMP content. Although cultivation of L2 cells in the presence of exogenous dibutyryl cyclic AMP does inhibit replication and produce morphologic alterations, similar effects are produced by sodium butyrate alone. Hyperoxic exposure alters cyclic AMP metabolism in some cell types, but the structural and functional alterations observed in L2 cells and WI-38 fibroblasts following hyperoxic exposure are not produced by changes in cellular cyclic AMP content.