Samborska I. Morphological changes in the lungs of rats with hyperhomocysteinemia depending on age (experimental study)

According to our biochemical data, on the background of chronic hyperhomocysteinemia, non-aromatic compounds, peptides and other low-molecular substances accumulate in lung tissue homogenates, which is evidence of the development of endogenous intoxication. Increased total proteolytic activity, accumulation of low molecular weight proteins and decreased levels of high molecular weight proteins, superexpression of MMPs manifest the activation of proteolysis. It should be noted that animals of different ages react differently to hyperhomocysteinemia. Under these conditions, the greatest changes in lung structure in immature rats occur at the level of the air-blood barrier, with age there is the formation of autophagosomes, increased activity of plasma cells and macrophages, narrowing of the lumen of the alveoli, signs of inflammation; whereas in older rats there are complications of lung tissue trophism, there are signs of fibrosis and pneumosclerosis. The data of morphometric study fully confirm these features of changes in the cytoarchitectonics of the lungs of rats under condition of hyperhomocysteinemia.