<原著>呼吸器の感染防御機構に関する研究 : 第 2 篇呼吸器感染防御因子としての Lysozyme に関する研究

Abstract

It is well known that lysozyme is an anti-bacterial substance which has bacteriolysis activity. The distribution of this enzyme was studied in normal rats and rats injected with egg-white lysozyme. The quatitative analysis of lysozyme was carried out by a biological method using Saltina lutea and radioisotopic methods using ^<125>I-lysozyme. The results were as follows : 1) The average lysozyme concentrations determined by the above biological method, in serum, lungs, kidneys and spleens of normal rats were 4.0±0.3μg/ml, 470±16μg/g, 375±43μg/g and 53±16μg/g respectively. 2) The lysozyme concentration increased remarkably in the kidneys of the rats after one injection (i.v. or i.m.) of 10 mg of egg-white lysozyme. However, the increased concentration was not seen in lungs or in bronchial washings. 3) The results obtained by both autoradiographies and scintillation countings of organs after the intravenous injection of ^<125>I-lysozyme were similar to the results obtained by the biological method. 4) The lysozyme concentration in the bronchial washings of rats showed significant increase after inhalation of cigarette smoke. The maximum value was seen 15 minutes after inhalation and decreased again into the normal range within 2 hours. 5) The increased amount of lysozyme in the bronchial washings was seen after the subcutaneous injection of 10 mg of Bromhexine. The maximum value was obtained 2 hours after the injection. These results suggest that the concentration of lysozyme in the respiratory system increased temporarily after such stimulation as cigarette smoke inhalation or Bromhexine injection. However, these results also suggest that the supply of lysozyme is limited within the respiratory system and it seems to be independent from the lysozyme concentration in the serum.