Triolein-induced pulmonary embolization and increased microvascular permeability in isolated perfused rat lungs.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiologic mechanism of the fat embolism syndrome is poorly understood. This study was designed to determine the effects of fat emboli on pulmonary vasculature. METHOD: Triolein was infused into isolated rat lungs perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Pulmonary arterial pressure and microvascular permeability (Kf) were measured at baseline and 20 minutes after the triolein infusion. RESULT: The 99% triolein produced dose-dependent increases in both pulmonary arterial pressure and Kf. The 65% triolein, containing free fatty acid, resulted in a greater increase in Kf. Pretreatment with indomethacin attenuated the increase in Kf after 65% triolein but not after 99% triolein. CONCLUSION: Pure triolein induced mainly embolization in the pulmonary vasculature, and 65% triolein caused embolization and subsequently increased vascular permeability, which are, at least in part, mediated by the action of cyclooxygenase products. Free fatty acids might induce permeability edema by means of a cyclooxygenase-dependent mechanism. We conclude that triolein-induced increases in pulmonary arterial pressure and Kf in isolated rat lungs provides a useful model of acute lung injury by fat embolism.     

Vaporized perfluorohexane attenuates ventilator-induced lung injury in isolated, perfused rabbit lungs

BACKGROUND: The authors tested the hypothesis that administration of vaporized perfluorohexane may attenuate ventilator-induced lung injury. METHODS: In isolated, perfused rabbit lungs, airway pressure-versus-time curves were recorded. At baseline, peak inspiratory pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure of mechanically ventilated lungs were set to obtain straight pressure-versus-time curves in both the lower and upper ranges, which are associated with less collapse and overdistension, respectively. After that, peak inspiratory pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure were set at 30 cm H2O and 0, respectively, and animals were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) simultaneous administration of 14% perfluorohexane vapor in room air (n = 7) and (2) control group-ventilation with room air (n = 7). After 20 min of cycling collapse and overdistension, tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure were set back to baseline levels, administration of perfluorohexane in the therapy group was stopped, and mechanical ventilation was continued for up to 60 min. Lung weight, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and concentration of thromboxane B2 in the perfusate were measured. In addition, the distribution of pulmonary perfusate flow was assessed by using fluorescent-labeled microspheres. RESULTS: Significantly higher peak inspiratory values developed in control lungs than in lungs treated with perfluorohexane. In addition, upper ranges of pressure-versus-time curves were closer to straight lines in the perfluorohexane group. Lung weight, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, and release of thromboxane B2 were significantly higher in controls than in perfluorohexane-treated lungs. Also, redistribution of pulmonary perfusate flow from caudal to cranial zones was less important in the treatment group. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that the administration of perfluorohexane vapor attenuates the development of ventilator-induced lung injury in isolated, perfused rabbit lungs.     

Effects of zymosan-activated plasma and phorbol myristate acetate on isolated, perfused rabbit lungs

The effects of complement activation on pulmonary vascular permeability are disputed. In rabbit lungs perfused with autologous blood, zymosan activated plasma (ZAP) induced a moderate increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), but did not detectably change the vascular permeability within 2 h. The stronger neutrophil granulocyte (PMN) activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), usually gave larger PVR increases and also increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Lungs from neutropenic animals, similarly perfused and given PMA, showed unchanged PVR reactions but had no apparent increase in vascular permeability. Lungs perfused with cell-free medium and given PMA displayed modest PVR increases, and no measurable permeability change. The lung preparatory procedure itself markedly influenced leukocyte circulation. Exsanguination of lung donors decreased the concentration of circulating PMN significantly, and they virtually disappeared from the perfusate within minutes after start of lung perfusion. PMN-mediated effects must therefore have been caused by cells already sequestered in the lungs. We conclude that ZAP does not induce an increased pulmonary vascular permeability in isolated, perfused rabbit lungs, in contrast to PMA. The permeability effects of PMA appear to be PMN dependent.     

A thromboxane analog increases pulmonary capillary pressure but not permeability in the perfused rabbit lung

Thromboxane has been implicated as a mediator of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary edema in acute respiratory failure. Pulmonary edema may result from increased pulmonary capillary hydrostatic pressure or from increased pulmonary vascular permeability. We therefore studied the effects of a stable thromboxane analog, U46619, on these two parameters in the perfused rabbit lung. Pulmonary capillary pressure was measured by the double vascular occlusion method, and pulmonary vascular permeability was estimated by measurement of the pulmonary fluid filtration coefficient (Kf). U46619 infusion produced pulmonary hypertension and lung weight gain; increased both the arterial (precapillary) and venous (postcapillary) components of pulmonary vascular resistance; and increased pulmonary capillary pressure from 4.7 +/- 0.5 to 9.0 +/- 0.7 mmHg (P less than 0.01). The isogravimetric pressure (equivalent to the capillary pressure corresponding to no lung weight gain) was 4.0 +/- 0.4 mmHg before U46619 and 4.6 +/- 0.4 mmHg during U46619. Therefore, U46619 significantly increased capillary pressure above isogravimetric pressure and resulted in the development of pulmonary edema. U46619 did not affect vascular permeability as measured by Kf. We conclude that pulmonary venoconstriction resulting in increased pulmonary capillary hydrostatic pressure is the major mechanism by which thromboxane produces pulmonary edema in isolated lungs.     

Wood smoke inhalation increases pulmonary microvascular permeability

The effect of wood smoke inhalation (SI) on pulmonary vascular permeability was studied in open-chested, anesthetized dogs. Animals were divided into two groups. A prenodal lymphatic vessel was cannulated in group I (n = 7), and baseline (BL) lung lymph flow (QL) and lymph (CL) and plasma (CP) protein concentrations were measured. The animals' lungs were then ventilated with wood smoke for 5 minutes. Left atrial pressure (Pla) was increased above baseline (mean 16.7 +/- 2.2 mm Hg), and the ratio of CL to CP was used to assess endothelial permeability at high lymph flows. There was little change in either QL (BL: 27 +/- 9; SI: 27 +/- 5 microliters/min) or CL/CP (BL: 0.76 +/- 0.03; SI: 0.74 +/- 0.02) after SI at normal Pla. Elevation of Pla caused a significant increase in QL (136 +/- 15 microliters/min), but CL/CP (0.67 +/- 0.02) failed to decrease significantly at high lymph flows. In group II (n = 15) total protein concentration of airway fluid was compared with that of plasma after smoke inhalation, intravenous alloxan, and increased Pla. The ratio of protein concentration in airway fluid to plasma after SI (0.70 +/- 0.07) was greater than that obtained with increased Pla (0.64 +/- 0.07) but less than that after alloxan (0.85 +/- 0.04). These data indicate that SI in the dog results in a moderate increase in pulmonary vascular permeability that is less severe than that induced by alloxan.     

Glutathione in the isolated perfused rabbit kidney

Perfusion of the isolated rabbit kidney at normothermia leads to a marked depletion in the concentration of reduced glutathione in the kidney tissue. After 90 min of perfusion at 36 ± 1°C, the concentration of GSH found in the renal cortex is more than 80% lower than the levels found in fresh tissue. Comparable perfusion under hypothermic conditions reduced the amount of glutathione depletion considerably; however, after 90 min of perfusion at 15 ± 1°C, renal cortex GSH levels were still nearly 50% lower than the levels found in fresh tissue. It was found that the addition of GSH to the perfusate completely alleviated this glutathione-depletion phenomenon.     

Role of potassium channels in isoflurane- and sevoflurane-induced attenuation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in isolated perfused rabbit lungs

BACKGROUND: Although potassium channels are thought to be responsible for the initiation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV), their role in the HPV-inhibitory effect of volatile anesthetics is unclear. The current study tested if the HPV-inhibitory effect of isoflurane and sevoflurane can be affected by changing the potassium-channel opening status with specific potassium-channel inhibitors in isolated rabbit lungs. METHODS: Isolated rabbit lungs were divided into eight groups (n = 6 each in isoflurane groups and n = 8 in sevoflurane groups): those receiving no inhibitor treatment = control-isoflurane and control-sevoflurane groups; those treated with an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K(ATP))-channel inhibitor, glibenclamide = glibenclamide-isoflurane and glibenclamide-sevoflurane groups; those treated with a high-conductance calcium-activated potassium (K(Ca))-channel inhibitor, iberiotoxin = iberiotoxin-isoflurane and iberiotoxin-sevoflurane groups; and those treated with a voltage-sensitive potassium (Kv)-channel inhibitor, 4-aminopyridine = 4-aminopyridine-isoflurane and 4-aminopyridine-sevoflurane groups. The effect of anesthetic on HPV was tested by exposure of the lungs to isoflurane at a concentration of 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 minimum alveolar concentration, or to sevoflurane at a concentration of 0, 0.5, 1, or 1.62 minimum alveolar concentration. The relation between anesthetic concentrations and the HPV response was analyzed by the Wagner equation. RESULTS: The inhibition of Kv channels by 4-aminopyridine and K(Ca) channels by iberiotoxin augmented the HPV response. The isoflurane-induced attenuation of HPV was attenuated by voltage-sensitive potassium-channel inhibition with 4-aminopyridine, potentiated by K(Ca)-channel inhibition with iberiotoxin, but not affected by K(ATP)-channel inhibition with glibenclamide. The sevoflurane-induced attenuation of HPV was not affected by any of the potassium-channel inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Isoflurane may modulate the HPV response partially through K(Ca) and Kv channels, but sevoflurane may attenuate the HPV response through other pathways rather than through the currently investigated potassium channels in isolated rabbit lungs.     

Pure oxygen breathing increases sheep lung microvascular permeability

Sheep that breathe pure oxygen via a tracheostomy develop progressive respiratory failure and die within four days. The characteristic terminal findings include an increased water content of the lung, a decrease in lung compliance, and severe hypercarbia. To sequentially assess alterations of lung transvascular fluid dynamics during prolonged oxygen breathing the authors measured lung lymph flow (Q lymph), protein transport (Q protein), and pulmonary vascular pressures in five sheep with chronic lung lymph fistulas. No significant changes of lung transvascular fluid dynamics occurred during the first 60 hours of oxygen breathing, although an increasing trend of Q lymph and Q protein was demonstrable. However, after 72 hours of oxygen breathing, Q lymph, Q protein, and extravascular lung water had increased significantly without any change of pulmonary vascular pressures. The authors conclude that the toxic effects of oxygen on the lungs of sheep include a delayed but marked increase of pulmonary microvascular permeability to protein and fluid.     

Reperfusion of ischemic lower limbs increases pulmonary microvascular permeability

Lower torso ischemia and reperfusion has been shown to stimulate the generation of thromboxane (Tx)A2, leading to transient pulmonary hypertension and later to polymorphonuclear leukocyte accumulations in the lungs. This study investigated whether hind limb ischemia leads to increased pulmonary microvascular permeability. Anesthetized sheep (n = 6) previously prepared with a lung lymph fistula underwent 2 hr of tourniquet ischemia of both lower limbs. One minute following tourniquet release mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) rose from 14 +/- 1 to 36 +/- 4 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and returned to baseline within 30 min. The pulmonary arterial wedge pressure of 4 +/- 1 mm Hg was unchanged. Plasma TxB2 levels rose from 211 +/- 21 to 304 +/- 52 pg/ml (p less than 0.05) 10 min after tourniquet release and were back to baseline at 30 min. Lymph flow (QL) rose from 4.3 +/- 0.6 ml/30 min to 8.3 +/- 1.8 ml/30 min (p less than 0.05); the lymph/plasma (L/P) protein ratio rose slightly but not significantly. In three sheep, inflation of a left atrial balloon increased left atrial pressure from 3 to 16 mm Hg. MPAP rose from 14 to 24 mm Hg. There was an increase in QL from 3.6 to 17 ml/30 min; the L/P protein ratio declined from 0.63 to 0.41. These results indicate that reperfusion following 2 hr of bilateral hind limb ischemia results in increased pulmonary microvascular permeability.     

烧伤后粘附分子介导中性粒细胞粘附对肺血管通透性的影响

目的观察比较烧伤血清及烧伤后中性白细胞（ＰＭＮ）对肺血管通透性的影响,分析ＰＭＮ粘附及粘附分子ＣＤ１１ｂ／ＣＤ１８在该影响中的介导作用。方法应用离体肺灌流技术,通过肺重量增加（ＬＷＧ）、液体滤过系数（Ｋｆ）和通透性表面积乘积（ＰＳ）分别观察肺水肿程度、肺血管对小分子物质和大分子物质的通透性。结果烧伤血清能使ＬＷＧ、Ｋｆ和ＰＳ明显增加,以Ｋｆ增加最为明显;烧伤后ＰＭＮ也能使Ｋｆ和ＰＳ增加,以ＰＳ增加为明显;用单抗封闭烧伤后ＰＭＮ膜上ＣＤ１１ｂ／ＣＤ１８后,ＰＭＮ在肺血管内的滞留减少,Ｋｆ和ＰＳ值增加被抑制,并以ＰＳ改变为显著。结论（１）被激活的ＰＭＮ释放的介质类物质如氧自由基、蛋白酶等物质对肺微血管内皮细胞（ＰＭＥＣ）的损伤作用部分依赖于ＰＭＮ与内皮细胞的粘附。（２）烧伤后被激活的ＰＭＮ释放的介质类物质主要介导肺血管对小分子物质通透性的影响。烧伤后ＰＭＮ与肺微血管内皮细胞（ＰＭＥＣ）的粘附除了使介质类物质的作用放大外,还介导肺血管对大分子物质通透作用。（３）ＰＭＮ膜上ＣＤ１１ｂ／ＣＤ１８分子可能通过与ＰＭＥＣ细胞间粘附分子的结合,本身具有对内皮细胞的生物学调控作用     

Amrinone preconditioning in the isolated perfused rabbit heart

BACKGROUND: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) reduces infarct size in experimental preparations. IPC, however, is not without detrimental effects. We studied amrinone as a possible alternative to IPC. METHODS: Isolated perfused rabbit hearts were given a 5-minute infusion of 10 micromol/L amrinone followed by a 5-minute washout (n = 6). The anterior descending artery was then occluded for 1 hour and reperfused for 1 hour. Six hearts underwent IPC, with two episodes of 5-minute global ischemia followed by 5-minute reperfusion before LAD occlusion; eight control hearts received no preconditioning. Left ventricular pressure and ischemic zone epicardial monophasic action potentials were continuously monitored. RESULTS: IPC but not amrinone reduced peak pressure before anterior descending artery occlusion. Peak pressure fell significantly during ischemia and reperfusion in all hearts. End diastolic pressure rose significantly during reperfusion in control and IPC hearts but not in amrinone hearts. Action potentials shortened during ischemia in all hearts. They returned to preocclusion values in control hearts but lasted beyond preocclusion values in IPC and amrinone hearts. Both the incidences of ventricular fibrillation and infarct size were significantly reduced in amrinone hearts but not in IPC hearts. CONCLUSIONS: Amrinone is not only a useful inotropic agent but is also a superior preconditioning agent when compared to IPC.     

Increased microvascular permeability caused by toxic oxygen metabolites is partly reversed by exchanging the perfusate in isolated rat lungs

Toxic oxygen metabolites (TOM) released from stimulated phagocytes and lung tissue have been shown to injure the pulmonary microcirculation. In the present study we evaluated microvascular injury caused by TOM in rat lungs perfused with plasma. The injury, as indicated by an increase in vascular permeability, was assessed by determining the fluid filtration rate (FFR) after paralysing the pulmonary vascular bed with papaverine (0.1 mg/ml). TOM were generated by adding xanthine oxidase (XO) (0.05-0.125 U/ml) and hypoxanthine (HX) (1 mmol/l) to the perfusate. FFR was measured before, 30 and 60 min after addition of XO and HX. The following interventions were done: 1. the H2O2-scavenger catalase, 2. substitution of the perfusate after 30 min, 3. BW 755 C, a combined lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and 4. indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. Addition of XO and HX caused FFR to increase from 14 +/- 4 mg/min (mean +/- s.e. mean) at the onset to 56 +/- 7 mg/min and 86 +/- 10 mg/min after 30 and 60 min, respectively. Replacing the perfusate with fresh plasma after 30 min caused a significant reduction in FFR at 60 min, from 86 +/- 11 mg/min to 58 +/- 10 mg/min. Catalase prevented the increase in FFR. Indomethacin and BW 755 C had no effect on the increase in FFR. We conclude that TOM induced a partly reversible increase in microvascular permeability of isolated rat lungs. From previous studies, the activity of XO was expected to cease after 30 min. Therefore it is suggested that secondary products of TOM propagate the lung injury. The increase in permeability was not mediated by arachidonic acid metabolites.     

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor activation increases microvascular hydraulic permeability

BACKGROUND: In addition to its vasoconstricting effects, angiotensin II (Ang II) has also demonstrated the ability to modulate microvessel permeability. We hypothesized that activation of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) would increase hydraulic permeability. METHODS: Hydraulic permeability (L(p)) was measured in rat mesenteric venules using the Landis micro-occlusion technique. Paired measures of L(p) were obtained at baseline and after perfusion with the AT1 agonist, [Sar(1)]-angiotensin II, at 10 micromol/L (n=6) and 100 micromol/L (n=6). Activation of the AT1 receptor was also achieved by perfusion with 20 nmol/L Ang II plus the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) antagonist, PD123319. In these studies, 30 micromol/L (n=6) and 300 micromol/L (n=6) of PD123319 were used. RESULTS: [Sar(1)]-angiotensin II increased L(p) 2-fold with the 10 micromol/L dose (P=.04) and 4-fold with the 100 micromol/L dose (P < .001). The L(p) peak due to [Sar(1)]-angiotensin II occurred sooner than the peak observed with Ang II. PD123319 (30 micromol/L) plus 20 nmol/L Ang II increased L(p) 5-fold (P=.003), while PD123319 (300 micromol/L) plus 20 nmol/L Ang II increased L(p) 20-fold (P < .0001). The magnitude of the effect due to PD123319 (300 micromol/L) plus Ang II (20 nmol/L) was approximately twice the summation of effects due to PD123319 (300 micromol/L) alone and Ang II (20 nmol/L) alone. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that endothelial cell Ang II receptors play an important role in modulating transendothelial fluid flux. Activating the AT1 receptor increases L(p); the AT2 receptor may operate to oppose this action. Pharmacologic manipulation of Ang II receptors may be beneficial during shock states to limit intravascular fluid loss.     

Extraction of glutathione by the isolated perfused rabbit kidney

The effects of adding exogenous reduced glutathione (GSH) to the perfusate were studied in the isolated perfused rabbit kidney. The addition of 500 mg/liter of GSH to the perfusate prevented the depletion of cortical and medullary GSH; perfusion without the addition of GSH consistently resulted in depletion of tissue levels of this tripeptide. In addition, GSH supplementation of the perfusate decreased renal vascular resistance and increased perfusate flow. GSH extraction studies revealed a progressive decrease in renal extraction with time, ranging from complete extraction at 10 min to a value of 38% at 60 min. The fractional clearance of GSH increased from 7.3% at 10 min to 17.9% after 60 min of perfusion. The results indicate a high affinity of the rabbit kidney for GSH and a relatively large net reabsorption of the tripeptide.     

Human uremic plasma increases microvascular permeability to water and proteins in vivo

BACKGROUND: The risk of cardiovascular disease is significantly higher in patients with long-term uremia than in otherwise healthy adults. This is true even before patients proceed to dialysis, but the reason why cardiovascular risk is increased is unknown. Transvascular transport of lipids and other macromolecules in both large vessels and the microcirculation has been implicated in generation of cardiovascular disease. METHODS: To determine whether patients with long-term uremia have circulating factors that promote increased vascular permeability, we measured the effect of perfusing microvessels with uremic plasma in a non-mammalian model of vascular permeability measurement. RESULTS: Perfusion of frog mesenteric microvessels with dialyzed normal plasma did not result in an increase in either hydraulic conductivity (Lp, permeability of the vessel wall to water) or oncotic reflection coefficient (sigma, permeability to macromolecules, particularly proteins). Perfusion with dialyzed uremic plasma resulted in a very significant increase in vascular permeability to both water (Lp increased 8.8-fold from 4.1 to 36.4 x 10(-7) cm x s(-1) cm H2O(-1)) and proteins (sigma reduced from 0.93 to 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that one or more circulating macromolecules in uremic plasma are able to increase transvascular solute and fluid flux, and may underlie the increased cardiovascular risk found in these patients.     

Effect of re-expansion after short-period lung collapse on pulmonary capillary permeability and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression in isolated rabbit lungs

Background. Re-expansion pulmonary oedema is a rare complicationcaused by rapid re-expansion of a chronically collapsed lung.Several cases of pulmonary oedema associated with one-lung ventilation(OLV) have been reported recently. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatorycytokines in pulmonary oedema fluid are suggested to play importantroles in its development. Activation of cytokines after re-expansionof collapsed lung during OLV has not been thoroughly investigated.Here we investigated the effects of re-expansion of the collapsedlung on pulmonary oedema formation and pro-inflammatory cytokineexpression. Methods. Lungs isolated from female white Japanese rabbits wereperfused and divided into a basal (BAS) group (n=7, baselinemeasurement alone), a control (CONT) group (n=9, ventilatedwithout lung collapse for 120 min) and an atelectasis (ATEL)group (n=9, lung collapsed for 55 min followed by re-expansionand ventilation for 65 min). Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)and the coefficient of filtration (Kfc) were measured at baselineand 60 and 120 min. At the end of perfusion, bronchoalveolarlavage fluid/plasma protein ratio (B/P), wet/dry lung weightratio (W/D) and mRNA expressions of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-