PULMONARY DYSPLASIA WITH RENAL MALFORMATIONS - A COMMON CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISORDER

The effect of D-penicillamine (DPA) on the development of lung and kid ney tissues was evaluated to determine whether the association of lung and kidney malformation results from a common generalized disorder of connective tissue in the fetal rat. Ten animals received a daily dose of 300 mg DPA in their drinking water during the last six days of the ir gestation. Ten other pregnant rats were used as controls. At the en d of the gestation period all the animals were delivered by cesarean s ection, We found that DPA treatment during gestation caused marked gro wth retardation in the offspring. Although the lung weight to body wei ght ratios did not differ between the study and control groups, the le ft-kidney weight to body weight ratios were found to be lower in the s tudy group. Histologic sections showed pulmonary dysplasia with bronch omegaly, cystic alveoli, atelectasis, vascular aneurism, perivascular loose of connective tissue, small hemorrhagic foci in the lungs and ca liechtasis. We hypothesize that a common connective tissue disorder in duced by DPA during intrauterine life may cause lung and kidney malfor mations.