L-FERRITIN ACCUMULATION IN MACROPHAGES INFILTRATING THE LUNG DURING RAT ANGIOSTRONGYLUS-CANTONENSIS INFECTION

A 22-kDa protein was increased quantitatively, as measured by sodium d odecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis techniques, in lung microsomes prepared from Angiostrongylus cantonensis-infected rats. Ho wever, it was almost absent in normal rats. The protein was purified b y sequential chromatography on Superdex 200 columns and identified che mically and immunologically as ferritin. Using isoelectric focusing an d anion exchange chromatography, it was identified as L ferritin. Dist ribution of this 22-kDa protein in the lung tissue of A. cantonensis-i nfected rats was studied by immunocytochemistry. Positively stained ce lls were mainly infiltrated macrophages. Our results suggest that L fe rritin accumulation in the macrophages may be related to the prolifera tion of connective tissue elements and the inflammatory response to A. cantonensis dwelling in the pulmonary arteries of the rat. (C) 1996 A cademic Press, Inc.