Histological alterations in mice induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa slime glycolipoprotein.

The time course of lesion development in mice induced by a single intraperitoneal (ip) LD50 dose of Pseudomonas aeruginosa slime glycolipoprotein (GLP) was studied. Slime GLP exerted a marked effect on the lungs, liver and kidneys without any microscopic changes in other organs. The first histological lesions were observed in the lungs 7h after ip injection and were characterized by thickening and pleomorphic inflammatory infiltration of the intraalveolar septae leading to focal atelectasis by 28 h. The initial morphological alterations in the liver were observed at 14 h and consisted of balloon degeneration of the hepatocytes, especially around the central veins, leading to fatty change within 21 h and confluent hepatocellular necrosis at 28 h. The kidneys showed hydropic degeneration of the renal tubular epithelial cells at 14 h and frank necrosis by 28 h post ip injection. The kidney and liver lesions were accompanied by a parallel rise in serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and aspartate and alanine aminotransferases.