Proinflammatory cytokines and elastase-alpha-1-antitrypsin in Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF) is a disease caused by Junin virus. In the acute phase, patients present hematologic and neurologic involvement with high levels of interferon-alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha. Nineteen patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AHF were studied: six severe, four moderate and nine mild cases. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 soluble receptor (IL-6sR), IL-8, IL-10, and elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin complex (E-alpha 1AT) were assayed by ELISAs. Levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were high in nine, 12, and 13 patients, respectively, while levels of IL-6sR were high in two patients and low in one patient. Seven patients had increased levels of E-alpha1AT. Significant correlations were found between levels of both IL-8 and IL-10 with those of TNF-alpha as well as between IL-8 and E-alpha 1AT. These data demonstrate activation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine pathways, and statistical analysis showed differences among the clinical forms of illness. This study shows that IL-8 plays an essential role in neutrophil activation in AHF patients as demonstrated in other infectious diseases.

Early markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis activation in Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

Junin virus, an arenaviridae, is the etiological agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. In addition to thrombocytopenia, patients present several alterations in both the blood coagulation and the fibrinolytic system, but diffuse intravascular coagulation could not be demonstrated. To investigate further the activation status of the two systems, levels of thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, protein C, total and free protein S, C4bBP, antithrombin III, t-PA, PAI-1 and D-dimer were measured. Fourteen patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Argentine hemorrhagic fever were included in the study, 2 were severe, 3 moderate and 9 mild clinical cases, but hemorrhages were slight throughout. Blood samples were collected for 6 consecutive days on admission and on remission. At admission TAT and F1 + 2 levels were increased in 13/14 patients, reaching 0.33 nM (0.06-0.87) and 2.16 nM (0.96-6.5), respectively. PC was low in 4 cases, fPS in 6 and tPS in 2, whereas C4bBP and ATIII values were within normal range. t-PA and D-dimer levels were high in 11/14 patients, reaching 20 ng/ml (2.7-106) and 1660 ng/ml (877-3780) respectively, while PAI-1 was considerably increased in the 2 severe cases and normal in the remainder. These results suggest low level though persistent process of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis activation in this viral hemorrhagic disease. We believe these abnormalities may lead to the well described bleeding manifestations in these patients.

Aprotinin inhibits the contact, neutrophil, and platelet activation systems during simulated extracorporeal perfusion.

Aprotinin reduces blood loss after cardiac operations and decreases the bleeding time. The mechanism of action of aprotinin that produces these effects is not clear. During simulated extracorporeal circulation the contact and complement systems, platelets, and neutrophils are activated. We investigated the effect of aprotinin on kallikrein-C1-inhibitor complex and C1-C1-inhibitor complex formation, neutrophil degranulation, and platelet release and aggregation during simulated extracorporeal circulation. Fresh heparinized human blood was recirculated at 37 degrees C for 2 hours in a spiral coil membrane oxygenator-roller pump perfusion circuit. Changes in platelet count, leukocyte count, platelet response to adenosine diphosphate, and plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin, kallikrein-C1-inhibitor complexes, C1-C1-inhibitor complexes, and neutrophil elastase were measured before and at 5, 30, 60, and 120 minutes of recirculation at 0, 0.015, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.12 mg/ml doses of aprotinin. Platelet counts decreased to 36% +/- 12% of control values at 5 minutes and increased to 56% +/- 13% at 120 minutes without aprotinin. Aprotinin did not affect platelet counts, but it did prevent the decrease in sensitivity of platelets to adenosine diphosphate and it attenuated beta-thromboglobulin release. In the absence of aprotinin, kallikrein-C1-inhibitor and C1-C1-inhibitor complexes increased progressively to 0.53 +/- 0.14 U/ml and 2.38 +/- 0.33 U/ml, respectively, at 120 minutes. Kallikrein-C1-inhibitor complexes were completely inhibited and C1-C1-inhibitor complexes were partially inhibited at aprotinin concentrations of 0.03 mg/ml or greater. Release of neutrophil elastase was partially but not completely inhibited at the highest dose of aprotinin and was 50% inhibited at a dose of 0.03 mg/ml. Because activation of the fibrinolytic system does not occur in this system, the changes were independent of the inhibition of plasmin. We conclude that aprotinin in high doses completely inhibited kallikrein-induced activation of neutrophils and partially inhibited complement-induced activation. Aprotinin did not directly affect platelet adhesion or aggregation, but it indirectly preserved platelet sensitivity to agonists and also attenuated release of alpha-granule contents. The data indicate that in the presence of aprotinin platelet function was partially preserved, kallikrein production was totally inhibited, complement activation was partially inhibited, and neutrophil release was partially inhibited, thus attenuating the "whole body inflammatory response" associated with cardiopulmonary bypass.