Changes in pulmonary connective tissue after a single intratracheal instillation of papain in the rat.

The effect of a single intratracheal instillation of 2 mg of papain on metabolic changes of collagen and elastin in lungs was studied in rats labeled with [14C]proline in vivo. The total amount, concentration, specific and total radioactivity of both proteins were examined during the 28 days after papain administration. In the early period (1 to 3 days) a loss of elastin content (about 50% of control; p less than 0.01) was found, whereas collagen content increased (p less than 0.05). Simultaneously, the specific as well as the total radioactivity of both proteins was enhanced (p less than 0.01) which indicated an accelerated biosynthesis and metabolic turnover. This fact was reflected in the increased amounts of both collagen and elastin in the lungs 14 and 28 days after instillation of the enzyme. The changes in connective tissue proteins accompanied a large increase in lung weight (200% that of the control rats; p less than 0.01) immediately after the exposure. Toward the end of the 28-day period, the increase was smaller. The enzymatic damage probably induced the formation of nonfunctional elastin and fibrous scars as a consequence of the healing process.