Fig. 9

Relationship between plasma and BALF α2-MG concentrations.a Relationship between plasma and BALF α2-MG concentration at 4 h. Lack of correlation (r = 0.44; p N.S.) between plasma and BALF levels of α2-MG is seen. Increased BALF α2-MG concentration without an increase in plasma α2-MG concentration indicates loss of the protein size selectivity of the alveolar-capillary barrier. b Relationship between plasma and BALF α2-MG concentration at 12–24 h. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.647; p = 0.0028) between plasma and BALF levels of α2-MG at 12–24 h is seen, indicating that BALF levels of α2-MG during this period are determined by the increase in α2-MG capillary-alveolar concentration gradient, due to the liver acute phase response. c Relationship between plasma and BALF α2-MG concentration at 4 and 7d. Still elevated levels of α2-MG in blood at 4d (solid circles) do not result in elevated levels of α2-MG in BALF, reflecting restoration of the normal protein size selectivity of the alveolar-capillary barrier. At 7d (open circles), blood and BALF levels of α2-MG are back to control values. h: hours; d: days