Intercellular localization of leukotoxin (9:10-epoxy-12-octadecenoic acid) in lungs in rats by an immunoelectron...

In this paper intercellular localization of leukotoxin (9:10-epoxy-12-octadecenoic acid, LTx) in neutrophils and alveolar macrophages of rats exposed to the 100% oxygen was demonstrated by a pre-embedding method of an immunoelectron microscopy. The Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with the 100% oxygen for 72 hrs, and the lungs were stained with anti-LTx IgG (Fab) by an immunocytochemical method and examined by a transmission electron microscope. The positive reactions with anti-LTx IgG (Fab) was shown strongly in the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and cell membranes of the neutrophils and alveolar macrophages. This result indicates that LTx is produced in biomembrane-rich organelle of alveolar macrophages as well as neutrophils dependently on the treatment period under hyperoxia conditions, suggesting that LTx is closely related to biological reactions and is an important chemical mediator on pulmonary diseases.