leukotriene-d4 and Shock--Septic

This study evaluated whether or not prostacyclin (PGI2) was necessary or sufficient by itself in a pathophysiologic concentration to mediate the cardiovascular dysfunction of septic shock. Anesthetized adult swine received anesthesia only (ANESTHESIA CONTROL, n = 6); graded Aeromonas hydrophila, 10(10)/mL, infusion at 0.2 mL/kg/h that increased to 4.0 mL/kg/h over 3 h (SEPTIC SHOCK CONTROL, n = 6); pathophysiologic prostacyclin infusion to match septic shock control plasma levels without bacteremia (PGI2 INFUSION, n = 6), or graded Aeromonas hydrophila plus anti-prostacyclin antibody infusion (ANTI-PGI2-Ab INFUSION, n = 5). This graded porcine bacteremia model was 100% lethal after 4 h. Cardiovascular hemodynamics, arterial blood gases, and plasma levels of arachidonate metabolites were measured at baseline and hourly over a 4-h period. The results showed that PGI2 was not a necessary mediator of impaired cardiovascular hemodynamics in graded bacteremia, as anti-PGI2 antibody infusion did not improve the cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance, or peripheral oxygen balance in septic animals. Also, PGI2 was not sufficient alone to cause the cardiovascular dysfunction of sepsis, as pathophysiologic infusion of PGI2 did not reproduce such changes in normal animals. PGI2 blockade during bacteremia significantly increased LTC4D4E4, and LTB4 whereas PGI2 infusion suppressed LTC4D4E4 concentration, suggesting that endogenous PGI2 may blunt leukotriene release during septic shock. These results indicate a complex dynamic equilibrium among prostacyclin and leukotrienes in septic shock.

Topics: 6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; Aeromonas hydrophila; Animals; Antibodies; Bacteremia; Epoprostenol; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Leukotriene C4; Leukotriene D4; Leukotriene E4; Shock, Septic; Swine; Thromboxane B2

Endotoxinaemia stimulates the generation of cysteinyl leukotrienes (LT), potent mediators of inflammation which are preferentially eliminated into the bile. Nitric oxide (NO) is a mediator molecule that has a possible protective role in liver injury. As sepsis and shock often lead to the development of hypoxic regions in the liver, the influence of hypoxia on the metabolism of cysteinyl leukotrienes and the hepatic production of NO were investigated in the isolated perfused rat liver. Livers were perfused in a non-recirculating haemoglobin-free system from the portal to the caval vein. Perfusion medium was equilibrated with 95% O2/5% CO2. In hypoxia experiments, gassing was changed to 95% N2/5% CO2 for 20 min. Tritiated leukotrienes were infused to the portal vein and metabolites in effluent and bile were measured by HPLC. Hypoxia did not influence the uptake of 3H-LTC4 and 3H-LTE4 but biliary elimination was reduced by 50-60% compared to normoxic control experiments. In hypoxia, the metabolite pattern in bile was also significantly changed with a decrease of omega-oxidation products. Following reoxygenation larger amounts of leukotrienes were excreted from the liver into the bile. To induce NO synthase in the liver, rats were injected intraperitoneally with endotoxin 6 hours before livers were isolated for perfusion. In contrast to nontreated livers, nitrite and nitrate, the oxidation products of NO, were detectable in the effluent perfusate. Basal NO2(-)+NO3- release was 5.3 (1.2) nmol/g liver/min. NO2(-)+NO3- release was stimulated by L-arginine infusion, whereas hypoxia resulted in an almost complete inhibition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; Animals; Bile; Cell Hypoxia; Ischemia; Leukotriene C4; Leukotriene D4; Leukotrienes; Liver; Male; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Perfusion; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Shock, Septic