In vitro cellular effects of perfluorochemicals correlate with their lipidsolubility

Preclinical studies comparing perflubron partial liquid ventilation with co nventional mechanical ventilation have indicated that perflubron partial li quid ventilation may exert some anti-inflammatory effects. To assess whethe r these effects were related to the lipid solubility properties of perflubr on rather than to nonspecific biophysical properties of the perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquid phase, we studied the effects of PFCs with varying lipid solu bilities on the platelet aggregation response to various procoagulants and the erythrocyte hemolytic response to osmotic stress. In both cases, the de gree of the response was directly related to the lipid solubility of the PF C. All the perflubron content of erythrocytes was found to be associated wi th the membrane compartment. The time to reach a maximum effect on hemolysi s with perflubron was relatively slow (2-4 h), which paralleled the time fo r perflubron to accumulate in erythrocyte membranes. The rate and extent of perflubron partitioning into lecithin liposomes were similar to those of e rythrocyte membranes, supporting the hypothesis that perflubron was partiti oning into the lipid component of the membranes. Thus some of the potential modulatory effects of perflubron on excessive inflammatory responses that occur during acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome may be influenced in part by the extent of PFC partitioning into the lipid bila yers of cellular membranes.