Role of microtubules in surfactant secretion.

In the isolated perfused rat lung and cultured type II cells, surfactant secretion and cellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) content was stimulated by beta-adrenergic agonists. Isoproterenol-induced surfactant secretion was inhibited by the antimicrotubule agents colchicine and vinblastine. Incorporation of [3H]glycerol into disaturated phosphatidylcholine was augmented by beta-adrenergic agents but was not significantly different from the enhanced incorporation rate when colchicine was present. This suggests that the augmented incorporation of [3H]glycerol into disaturated phosphatidylcholine was a secondary response to storage depletion rather than direct cAMP stimulation. beta-Adrenergic agents shifted the equilibrium in the isolated perfused rat lung and cultured type II cells to favor microtubules. The stimulatory effect of 1.0 microM isoproterenol on tubulin polymerization was observed as early as 1 min and was augmented 2.8-fold at a half-maximal stimulation of 4 nM in cultured type II cells. Cytochalasin B, an antimicrofilament agent, potentiated the isoproterenol-induced secretion. These results suggest that an intact microtubule-microfilament system may be obligatory for enhanced surfactant secretion and that beta-adrenergic agents not only induce surfactant release but also tubulin polymerization.