The influence of hormones on the biochemical development of fetal rat lung in organ culture: I. Estrogen

Abstract It was recently demonstrated that 17β-estradiol enhances phosphatidylcholine synthesis in fetal lung in vivo. In order to determine whether estrogen acts directly on the lung, we examined the influence of 17β-estradiol on phospholipid and glycogen metabolism in explants of 18 day fetal rat lung in organ culture. Exposure of the explants to 17β-estradiol resulted in significant stimulation of [Me- 3 H]choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine, disaturated phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. Incorporation of [ 3 H]acetate into total phospholipid was increased by 63% ( P P 3 H] acetate in the various phospholipid fractions, it was found that there was a 29% increase in the phos-phatidylglycerol fraction ( P P P These data indicate that estrogen acts directly on the fetal lung and stimulates the incorporation of choline and acetate into phospholipids. It may specifically enhance incorporation into phosphatidylglycerol, the second most abundant phospholipid in pulmonary surfactant.