Endotoxemic myocardial dysfunction: subendocardial collagen deposition related to coronary driving pressure.

Sepsis impairs the autoregulation of myocardial microcirculatory blood flow, but whether this impairment is correlated with myocardial remodeling is unknown. This study investigated the role of coronary driving pressure (CDP) as a determinant of microcirculatory blood flow and myocardial fibrosis in endotoxemia and sepsis. The study is composed of two parts: a prospective experimental study and an observational clinical study. The experimental study was performed on male Wistar rats weighing 300 to 320 g. Endotoxemia was induced in rats by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection (10 mg·kg intraperitoneally). Hemodynamic evaluation was performed 1.5 to 24 h after LPS injection by measuring the mean arterial pressure, CDP, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, dP/dtmax, and dP/dtmin. Microspheres were also infused into the left ventricle to measure myocardial blood flow, and myocardial tissue was histologically assessed to analyze collagen deposition. The CDP, mean arterial pressure, and myocardial blood flow were reduced by 55%, 30%, and 70%, respectively, in rats 1.5 h after LPS injection compared with phosphate buffer saline injection (P < 0.05). The CDP was significantly correlated with subendocardial blood flow (r = 0.73) and fibrosis (r = 0.8). Left ventricular function was significantly impaired in the LPS-treated rats, as demonstrated by dP/dtmax (6,155 ± 455 vs. 3,746 ± 406 mmHg·s, baseline vs. LPS; P < 0.05) and dP/dtmin (-5,858 ± 236 vs. -3,516 ± 436 mmHg·s, baseline vs. LPS; P < 0.05). The clinical study was performed on 28 patients with septic shock analyzed for CDP. The CDP data and histological slices were collected from septic patients. In addition, the clinical data demonstrated fibrosis and 45% CDP reduction in nonsurvivors compared with survivors. In conclusion, the left ventricular subendocardial blood flow was positively correlated with CDP, and higher CDP was negatively correlated with myocardial collagen deposition. Thus, early reductions in myocardial blood flow and CDP facilitate late myocardial fibrosis in rats and likely in humans.

Estudo da relação entre pressão de perfusão coronariana e função cardíaca em ratos endotoxêmicos / Septic myocardial dysfunction: role of coronary driving pressure in the subendocardic perfusion

Pacientes sépticos com disfunção miocárdica apresentam mortalidade significativamente superior comparados aos sépticos sem alteração cardiovascular. Vários mecanismos contribuem para disfunção orgânica na sepse, como diminuição de perfusão tecidual. A sepse está relacionada a alterações na microcirculação e na permeabilidade capilar que apresentam papel fundamental na fisiopatologia das disfunções orgânicas. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar o papel da pressão de perfusão coronariana como fator determinante do fluxo sanguíneo na microcirculação miocárdica e sua correlação com a função cardíaca sistólica e diastólica em ratos endotoxêmicos. Ratos machos, Wistar, 300g, receberam LPS 10 mg/kg ip. Após uma hora e meia da injeção, um cateter de pressão-volume foi locado no VE e um cateter pressórico na artéria femoral para aquisição dos parâmetros hemodinâmicos cardíacos e sistêmicos respectivamente. Foram estudados os ratos que apresentaram choque endotoxêmico (PAM <= 65 mmHg). Um grupo foi tratado com norepinefrina iv e outro com araminol iv, para atingir PAM de 85 mmHg. Para o estudo do fluxo sanguíneo, microesferas amarelas (15 ?m) foram injetadas no VE para analisar a microcirculação cardíaca. O coração foi analisado em três partes: VD, região epicárdica e região subendocárdica do VE. O estudo demonstrou uma redução de 58% na PPC e de 50% no fluxo miocárdico nos ratos com choque endotoxêmico. Houve queda de 34% na dP/dt max e 15% na dP/dt min comparados ao controle. Os parâmetros de função cardíaca sistólica volume-independentes, Ees e dP/dtmax / EDV, também apresentaram redução. Nos ratos tratados com norepinefrina, observou-se aumento da PPC (38 ± 2 vs. 59 ± 3 mmHg, LPS vs. LPS+NOR) e do fluxo sanguíneo miocárdico (2,0 ± 0,6 vs. 6,2 ± 0,8 mL/min.g tecido, LPS vs. LPS+NOR) e os índices de função cardíaca sistólica e diastólica mostraram recuperação. A PPC apresentou correlação significativa com o fluxo sanguíneo subendocárdico do VE.Os...

Septic patients with myocardial dysfunction have higher mortality compared to patients with no cardiovascular alteration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of coronary driving pressure as determinant factor of myocardial microcirculation blood flow and its correlation with the cardiac function in endotoxemic heart. Wistar rats, male, 300g were used. Endotoxemia was induced by the injection of 10 mg / kg ip LPS. After 1.5 h of injection, hemodynamic evaluation was performed. It was studied rats with MAP <= 65 mmHg. Norepinephrine and araminol were used to handle MAP to 85 mmHg. Millar catheter was placed in the left ventricle to the acquisition of cardiac parameters. Microspheres were infused into the left ventricle with a pump and it was collected blood from femoral artery and tissue samples, to measure blood flow in the myocardium (RV, subendocardium LV e epicardium LV) and other organs. Left ventricle parameters demonstrated a reduction (34%) in dP/dt max and (15%) in dP/dt min. Load independent indexes, Ees and dP/dtmax/ EDV showed a reduction after LPS. The coronary driving pressure was (58%) reduced in the endotoxemic rats. We found a reduction in myocardial blood flow (80%) in animals with mean arterial blood pressure below 65 mmHg. Norepinephrine increased coronary driving pressure (38 ± 2 vs. 59 ± 3 mmHg LPS vs. LPS+NOR), and microcirculation perfusion (2.0 ± 0.6 vs. 6.2 ± 0.8 mL/min.g tissue, LPS vs. LPS+NOR). Coronary driving pressure presented a significant correlation with sub endocardium blood flow. These data indicated that myocardial blood flow of left ventricle subendocardial region and right ventricle was decreased in endotoxemic rats in a coronary driving pressure dependent way. The reduced myocardial blood flow was determinant of cardiac dysfunction. Increasing systemic arterial blood pressures and consequently the coronary driving pressure, it succeeded to improve myocardial blood flow and cardiac function...

Effects of a potent peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst in murine models of endotoxemia and sepsis.

Excessive free-radical production due to various bacterial components released during bacterial infection has been linked to cell death and tissue injury. Peroxynitrite is a highly reactive oxidant produced by the combination of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion, which has been implicated in cell death and tissue injury in various forms of critical illness. Pharmacological decomposition of peroxynitrite may represent a potential therapeutic approach in diseases associated with the overproduction of NO and superoxide. In the present study, we tested the effect of a potent peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst in murine models of endotoxemia and sepsis. Mice were injected i.p. with LPS 40 mg/kg with or without FP15 [Fe(III) tetrakis-2-(N-triethylene glycol monomethyl ether)pyridyl porphyrin] (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg per hour). Mice were killed 12 h later, followed by the harvesting of samples from the lung, liver, and gut for malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase measurements. In other subsets of animals, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture at 1.5, 4, and 8 h after LPS administration for cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-10), nitrite/nitrate, alanine aminotransferase, and blood urea nitrogen measurements. Endotoxemic animals showed an increase in survival from 25% to 80% at the FP15 doses of 0.3 and 1 mg/kg per hour. The same dose of FP15 had no effect on plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate. There was a reduction in liver and lung malondialdehyde in the endotoxemic animals pretreated with FP15, as well as in hepatic myeloperoxidase and biochemical markers of liver and kidney damage (alanine aminotransferase and blood urea nitrogen). In a bacterial model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture, FP15 treatment (0.3 mg/kg per day) significantly protected against mortality. The current data support the view that peroxynitrite is a critical factor mediating liver, gut, and lung injury in endotoxemia and septic shock: its pharmacological neutralization may be of therapeutic benefit.

Pathomechanisms of myocardial dysfunction in sepsis.

Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of death in intensive care units. Progressive cardiovascular failure is an important cause of the mortality. Septic patients with myocardial dysfunction have significantly higher mortality compared with patients without cardiovascular impairment. Myocardial dysfunction in sepsis is characterized by decreased contractility and impaired myocardial compliance. Experimental studies of sepsis showed heterogeneity of microvascular perfusion, as well as impaired myocardial oxygen extraction. The underlying cellular mechanisms include increased neutrophil adhesion to the endothelium, production of reactive free radicals and oxidants, and endothelial dysfunction. Superoxide, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite cardiac formation has been demonstrated in septic hearts, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the myocardial depression and cell death in sepsis. Nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide are gaseotransmitters that may exert protective effects in the septic heart.

Novel phenanthridinone inhibitors of poly (adenosine 5'-diphosphate-ribose) synthetase: potent cytoprotective and antishock agents.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize novel inhibitors of the nuclear enzyme poly(adenosine 5'-diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) synthetase (PARS), also known as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and to test them in in vitro models of oxidant-induced cytotoxicity and in endotoxin and splanchnic occlusion-reperfusion-induced shock. DESIGN: Randomized, prospective laboratory study. SETTING: Research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Murine macrophages, thymocytes, and endothelial cells; Balb/c mice and Wistar rats. INTERVENTIONS: Macrophages and endothelial cells were treated with peroxynitrite and bleomycin to induce PARS activation, and thymocytes were treated with peroxynitrite to induce cell necrosis. Novel PARS inhibitors were synthesized and used to reduce PARS activation and to reverse cytotoxicity. Balb/c mice were subjected to splanchnic occlusion and reperfusion and were pretreated with various doses (1-10 mg/kg intraperitoneally) of PJ34, a selected, potent, water-soluble PARS inhibitor. The passage of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran (4 kDa) was analyzed in everted gut ileal sacs incubated ex vivo as an index of gut permeability. Wistar rats were subjected to Escherichia coli bacterial lipopolysaccharide (40 mg/kg intraperitoneally). PJ34 was also used at 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally, 1 hr before lipopolysaccharide or at 25 mg/kg intraperitoneally 1 hr after lipopolysaccharide treatment. Serum concentrations of indicators or multiple organ injury, concentrations of various proinflammatory mediators, and tissue concentrations of myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde were measured. In addition, survival rates and vascular contractile and relaxant responses were recorded. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Appropriate modifications of the phenanthridinone core structure yielded significant increases in the potency of the compounds, both as PARS inhibitors and as cytoprotective agents. The compound N-(6-oxo-5,6-dihydro-phenanthridin-2-yl) -N,N-dimethylacetamide (designated as PJ34) was one of the potent PARS inhibitors of the series, and it dose-dependently protected against thymocyte necrosis, with a half-maximal restoration of cell viability of 35 nM and complete protection at 200 nM. PARS activation also was visualized by immunohistochemistry and was dose-dependently suppressed by PJ34. The effect of PJ34 was dose-dependently reversed by excess nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (oxidized). The PARS inhibitors dose-dependently suppressed proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production and restored viability in immunostimulated macrophages. PJ34 was selected for the subsequent in vivo studies. PJ34 significantly protected against splanchnic reperfusion-induced intestinal hyperpermeability in the mouse. PJ34 reduced peak plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, and nitrite/nitrate in the plasma of lipopolysaccharide-treated rats. PJ34 ameliorated the lipopolysaccharide-induced increases in indexes of liver and kidney failure and concentrations of myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde in the lung and gut. Lipopolysaccharide elicited vascular dysfunction, which was normalized by PJ34. Lipopolysaccharide-induced mortality was reduced by PJ34 (both pre- and posttreatment). CONCLUSIONS: The novel series of phenanthridinone PARS inhibitors have potent cytoprotective effects in vitro and significant protective effects in shock and reperfusion injury in rodent models in vivo.