Antioxidant therapy partially blocks immune-induced lung fibrosis

A mouse model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis was generated by challenge with a thermophilic actinomycete. Oxygen radical scavengers were administered to challenged mice: vitamin E at 1000 units daily, polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (SOD) at 500 units daily, polyethylene glycol-catalase at 10,000 units daily, 1,3,dimethyl-2-thiourea (DMTU) at 2 mg daily, and the biomimetic SOD, copper(II) [diisopropyl salicylate]2 (CuDIPS) at 1 mg daily. At three weeks after actinomycete challenge, a 10-fold increase in bronchoalveolar (BAL) cell number was observed. Treatments with catalase or DMTU were without effect on the BAL cell number in challenged mice. However, infusion of vitamin E was associated with an increased BAL cell influx (15-fold increase at two and three weeks). Similarly, treatment with PEG-SOD and CuDIPS resulted in an increase in cell number at two and three weeks. PEG-SOD or CuDIPS treatment resulted in a strong neutrophilia, whereas control challenged mice had a cellular influx mostly of macrophages and lymphocytes. Vitamin E treatment of challenged mice led to an increased T lymphocyte recruitment at two and three weeks. In vitro studies showed that actinomycete challenge was associated with an enhancement of alveolar macrophage O2- release, which was blocked by PEG-SOD, vitamin E, or DSC treatment but was unaffected by catalase or DMTU treatment. In control challenged mice, there was a 25-fold increase in the BAL albumin concentration at two weeks. PEG-SOD, vitamin E, or CuDIPS treatment all decreased the albumin concentration; the three modulators also diminished lung fibrosis at two or three weeks, as seen by a decrease in lung hydroxyproline and collagen synthesis by lung fibroblasts. Examination of sections from lungs of challenged animals showed evidence of cellular infiltrates around the bronchi and the blood vessels. Challenged mice given continuous infusions of vitamin E, SOD, or CuDIPS had lung histological scores that were significantly lower than control challenged mice or challenged mice treated with catalase or DMTU. Thus, therapies based on O2- scavenging or treatment with a general antioxidant such as vitamin E may hold some promise in the treatment of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.