Effect of oxygen on bleomycin-induced lung damage

Abstract

Mortality and lung damage resulting from bleomycin-oxygen interaction were studied in mice. No animals died in the control group given saline and breathing 21% to 50% oxygen. Mortality following injection of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg bleomycin, respectively, increased from 0% and 6% following exposure to 21% oxygen, to 20% and 33% after 30% oxygen, and to 47% and 66% after 50% oxygen. Pulmonary pathology also became progressively more severe at the higher oxygen concentrations as measured by pulmonary hydroxyproline content and a visually scored index of cellular pathology.