Enhanced microvascular permeability of PMA-induced acute lung injury is not mediated by cyclooxygenase products.

Products of cyclooxygenase activity have been proposed to mediate the pulmonary hypertension and increased microvascular permeability associated with phorbol myristate acetate- (PMA) induced acute lung injury. Previously, we reported that thromboxane (Tx) does not mediate PMA-induced pulmonary hypertension in intact anesthetized dogs. In the present study, PMA was administered to isolated canine lungs perfused with autologous blood at constant flow to investigate a possible role for Tx in the PMA-induced increase in microvascular permeability. Changes in permeability were assessed by determining changes in the capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc). In lobes pretreated with papaverine to prevent PMA-induced increases in pulmonary vascular resistance, Kfc increased from a baseline value of 0.2 +/- 0.03 to 1.5 +/- 0.29 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g wet lobe wt-1 (P < 0.01) 30 min after PMA (5.8 x 10(-8) M, n = 10). Concomitantly, TxB2, the stable metabolite of TxA2, increased from 138 +/- 44 to 1,498 +/- 505 pg/ml (P < 0.05) in the blood. Both the selective Tx synthase inhibitor, OKY-046 (7 x 10(-4) M, n = 6), and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (10(-4) M, n = 7), prevented the PMA-induced increase in TxB2, but neither compound attenuated the PMA-induced increase in Kfc. ONO-3708 (10(-6) M), a selective prostaglandin (PG) H2/TxA2 receptor antagonist, prevented the vasoconstriction resulting from administration of U-46619, a stable PGH2/TxA2 receptor agonist, but it did not prevent the PMA-induced increases in Kfc (n = 6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cyclooxygenase inhibition prevents PMA-induced increase in pulmonary vascular permeability to albumin.

In a previous study, we demonstrated that phorbol myristate acetate-(PMA) induced injury in isolated blood-perfused rabbit lungs was characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and permeability to water as measured by fluid filtration coefficient (Kf). The Kf increase was prevented by pretreatment with three cyclooxygenase inhibitors, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and meclofenamate. Other studies have shown that PMA causes a decrease in pulmonary vascular surface area, probably due to the increase in arterial resistance. Measurement of Kf requires increased microvascular pressure, and therefore Kf estimates the permeability of the entire vascular bed. Thus the permeability of the flowing vessels may be overestimated by Kf. In this study, we chose to investigate the effect of PMA on vascular permeability to protein by measuring albumin leak. Because this measurement does not require a hydraulic stress, it is more likely to reflect the permeability of flowing vessels. PMA administration (5 x 10(-8) M) caused significant increases in both PVR and 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin leak. Cyclooxygenase inhibition with indomethacin, ibuprofen, or meclofenamate prevented the PMA-induced increase in albumin leak without affecting the PVR increase. These results suggest that cyclooxygenase-mediated products of arachidonic acid mediate the PMA-induced increase in vascular permeability to both water and protein.     

Thromboxane does not mediate pulmonary hypertension in phorbol ester-induced acute lung injury in dogs

Thromboxane (Tx) has been suggested to mediate the pulmonary hypertension of phorbol myristate acetate- (PMA) induced acute lung injury. To test this hypothesis, the relationship between Tx and pulmonary arterial pressure was evaluated in a model of acute lung injury induced with PMA in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized male mongrel dogs. Sixty minutes after administration of PMA (20 micrograms/kg iv, n = 10), TxB2 increased 10-fold from control in both systemic and pulmonary arterial blood and 8-fold in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Concomitantly, pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) increased from 14.5 +/- 1.0 to 36.2 +/- 3.5 mmHg, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) increased from 5.1 +/- 0.4 to 25.9 +/- 2.9 mmHg.l-1.min. Inhibition of Tx synthase with OKY-046 (10 mg/kg iv, n = 6) prevented the PMA-induced increase in Tx concentrations in blood and BAL fluid but did not prevent or attenuate the increase in Ppa. OKY-046 pretreatment did, however, attenuate but not prevent the increase in PVR 60 min after PMA administration. Pretreatment with the TxA2/prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist ONO-3708 (10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv, n = 7) prevented the pressor response to bolus injections of 1-10 micrograms U-46619, a Tx receptor agonist, but did not prevent or attenuate the PMA-induced increase in Ppa. ONO-3708 also attenuated but did not prevent the increase in PVR. These results suggest that Tx does not mediate the PMA-induced pulmonary hypertension but may augment the increases in PVR in this model of acute lung injury.     

PMA-induced pulmonary edema: mechanisms of the vasoactive response

We investigated the effect of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in isolated guinea pig lungs perfused with phosphate-buffered Ringer solution. Pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), pulmonary capillary pressure (Ppc), and change in lung weight were recorded at 0, 10, 25, 40, and 70 min. The capillary filtration coefficient (Kf), an index of vascular permeability, was measured at 10 and 70 min. The perfusion of PMA (0.5 x 10(-7) M) increased Ppa, Ppc, and lung weight at 70 min. The ratio of arterial-to-venous vascular resistance (Ra/Rv) decreased and the Kf did not change with PMA. The perfusion of the lung with 4 alpha-phorbol didecanoate (inactive toward the protein kinase C analogue of PMA) did not affect the lung. The inhibition of TxA2 synthase with dazoxiben inhibited the response to PMA. The inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase with U-60257 and the SRS-A receptor antagonist FPL 55712 also prevented the response to PMA. The addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, or SOD plus catalase (the enzymes that remove O.2 H2O2, and OH., respectively) did not prevent the PMA effect or the release of TxA2; however, dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a scavenger of OH., did prevent the response to PMA. The data indicate that PMA causes a neutrophil-independent increase in lung weight due to increases in Ppc mediated by TxA2 and SRS-A. The protective effect of DMTU may be due to the inhibition of TxA2 generation.     

Vascular resistance and Kf in normal and PMA-injured rabbit lungs: effects of adenosine

The effects of adenosine (ADO) on pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) distribution, vascular compliance (C), and permeability were determined in normal and PMA-injured isolated rabbit lungs perfused with a 1:1 mixture of 6% albumin in Krebs-Henseleit buffer and autologous blood. ADO or vehicle was continuously infused into the reservoir at 1,4, or 5 mumol/min after a 1-mumol bolus of ADO or vehicle. The capillary filtration coefficient (Kf) and arterial, venous, and double occlusion pressures were measured at baseline and 30 min after phorbol myristate acetate (PMA; 4 x 10(-8) M) or vehicle. Perfusate differential and total leukocyte counts as well as adenine nucleotides, 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) concentrations were determined at each measurement period. ADO was recovered as hypoxanthine and inosine in the perfusate. ADO alone did not alter PVR, C, Kf, or TxB2 but reduced 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels. PMA induced an increase in Kf (0.024 +/- 0.002 to 0.040 +/- 0.006 g.cmH2O-1.min-1, P less than 0.05) that was completely blocked by 4 or 5 mumol/min ADO. PVR increased by 63 +/- 11% after PMA, primarily in the arteries and arterial and venous microvessels. The postcapillary resistance increase was blunted by 4 mumol/min ADO; 5 mumol/min ADO prevented the PVR increase in all segments. ADO did not affect the initial adherence of neutrophils in the lung or the PMA-induced 87 +/- 2% decrease in circulating leukocytes (greater than 98% lymphocytes) or threefold increase in TxB2 levels. These results suggest that protection by ADO is not mediated by the altering of cyclooxygenase products or by leukocyte adherence.     

OKY-046 prevents increases in LTB4 and pulmonary edema in phorbol ester-induced lung injury in dogs.

Thromboxanes (Txs) were implicated as possible participants in the altered microvascular permeability of acute lung injury when the Tx synthase inhibitor, OKY-046, was reported to prevent pulmonary edema induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Recently, however, we found that OKY-046, at a dose just sufficient to block Tx synthesis in intact dogs, did not prevent PMA-induced pulmonary edema but rather merely reduced it modestly. The present study was designed to explore other mechanisms whereby OKY-046 might prevent PMA-induced pulmonary edema. The finding that 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) metabolites of arachidonic acid were increased within the lung after PMA administration, coupled with the report that OKY-046 inhibited slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis formation, permitted formulation of the hypothesis that OKY-046, at a dose in excess of that required to inhibit Tx synthesis, inhibits the formation of a product(s) of 5-LO and, thereby, prevents edema formation. In vehicle-pretreated pentobarbital-anesthetized male mongrel dogs (n = 4), PMA (20 micrograms/kg i.v.) increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) from 4.4 +/- 0.3 to 26.3 +/- 8.8 mmHg.l-1 x min (P < 0.01) and extravascular lung water from 6.7 +/- 0.5 to 19.1 +/- 6.2 ml/kg body wt (P < 0.05). Concomitantly, both TxB2 and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were significantly increased in the lung. Pretreatment with OKY-046 (100 mg/kg i.v., n = 8) prevented PMA-induced increases in TxB2, LTB4, and pulmonary edema formation but did not prevent the increase in PVR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Compounds that increase cAMP prevent ischemia-reperfusion pulmonary capillary injury.

This study evaluated the physiological effects of compounds that increase adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) on changes in pulmonary capillary permeability and vascular resistance induced by ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) in isolated blood-perfused rabbit lungs. cAMP was elevated by 1) beta-adrenergic stimulation with isoproterenol (ISO, 10(-5) M), 2) post-beta-receptor stimulation of adenylate cyclase with forskolin (FSK, 10(-5) M), 3) and dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP, 1 mM), a cAMP analogue. Vascular permeability was assessed by determining the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c), and capillary pressure was measured using the double occlusion technique. The total, arterial, and venous vascular resistances were calculated from measured pulmonary arterial, venous, and capillary pressures and blood flow. Reperfusion after 2 h of ischemia significantly (P less than 0.05) increased Kf,c (from 0.115 +/- 0.028 to 0.224 +/- 0.040 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1). These I-R-induced changes in capillary permeability were prevented when ISO, FSK, or DBcAMP was added to the perfusate at reperfusion (0.110 +/- 0.022 and 0.103 +/- 0.021, 0.123 +/- 0.029 and 0.164 +/- 0.024, and 0.153 +/- 0.030 and 0.170 +/- 0.027 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1, respectively). I-R significantly increased total, arterial, and venous vascular resistances. These increases in vascular resistance were also blocked by ISO, FSK, and DBcAMP. These data suggest that beta-adrenergic stimulation, post-beta-receptor activation of adenylate cyclase, and DBcAMP prevent the changes in pulmonary vascular permeability and vascular resistances caused by I-R in isolated rabbit lungs through a mechanism involving an increase in intracellular levels of cAMP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Venous occlusion pressure and vascular permeability in the dog lung after air embolization

Pulmonary edema has frequently been associated with air embolization of the lung. In the present study the hemodynamic effects of air emboli (AE) were studied in the isolated mechanically ventilated canine right lower lung lobe (RLL), pump perfused at a constant blood flow. Air was infused via the pulmonary artery (n = 7) at 0.6 ml/min until pulmonary arterial pressure (Pa) rose 250%. While Pa rose from 12.4 +/- 0.6 to 44.6 +/- 2.0 (SE) cmH2O (P less than 0.05), venous occlusion pressure remained constant (7.0 +/- 0.5 to 6.8 +/- 0.6 cmH2O; P greater than 0.05). Lobar vascular resistance (RT) increased from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 12.1 +/- 0.2 Torr.ml-1.min.10(-2) (P less than 0.05), whereas the venous occlusion technique used to determine the segmental distribution of vascular resistance indicated the increase in RT was confined to vessels upstream to the veins. Control lobes (n = 7) administered saline at a similar rate showed no significant hemodynamic changes. As an index of microvascular injury the pulmonary filtration coefficient (Kf) was obtained by sequential elevations of lobar vascular pressures. The Kf was 0.11 +/- 0.01 and 0.07 +/- 0.01 ml.min-1.Torr-1.100 g RLL-1 in AE and control lobes, respectively (P less than 0.05). Despite a higher Kf in AE lobes, total lobe weight gains did not differ and airway fluid was not seen in the AE group. Although air embolization caused an increase in upstream resistance and vascular permeability, venous occlusion pressure did not increase, and marked edema did not occur.     

Adenosine prevents phorbol ester injury in rabbit lungs: role of leukotrienes and TNF.

The objective of this study was to determine whether adenosine (ADO) prevents phorbol myristate acetate- (PMA) induced lung injury by modulating peptidoleukotrienes (LT) and/or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production. PMA significantly increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, 275 +/- 4 to 447 +/- 30 cmH2O.1-1.min) and microvascular filtration coefficient.(Kf, 0.024 +/- 0.002 to 0.040 +/- 0.006 g.min-1.cmH2O-1) in isolated blood-perfused rabbit lungs. ADO (5 mumol/min) blocked the increases in PVR (257 +/- 9 to 283 +/- 26) and Kf (0.028 +/- 0.005 to 0.018 +/- 0.002). After PMA (30 min), perfusate levels of LTC4 + LTD4 increased by 15.3 +/- 2.1 pg/ml; LTE4 increased by 15.1 +/- 4.1 pg/ml. ADO reduced the increase in LTC4 + LTD4 to 2.7 +/- 6.1 pg/ml, but total LT increased by 31.9 +/- 16.6 pg/ml, implying that ADO enhanced the conversion of LTC4 and LTD4 to LTE4. MK-886 (L663,536), an LT synthesis inhibitor, blocked the increase in total LT (6.1 +/- 13.9 pg/ml) but did not reduce the PMA-induced increase in Kf (0.022 +/- 0.003 to 0.035 +/- 0.005) or PVR (238 +/- 11 to 495 +/- 21). After PMA administration, perfusate TNF levels were not different from the 10-fold increase observed in control experiments and were not reduced by ADO or MK-886. TNF production was independent of perfusate blood components and presumably due to low levels of endotoxin in the perfusate (70-90 ng/ml). These results indicate that ADO does not protect against PMA-induced acute lung injury by altering circulating levels of LT or TNF.     

Increased lung vascular permeability after arachidonic acid and hydrostatic challenge

Arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites are known to be potent vasoactive substances in the pulmonary circulation, whereas their influence on lung vascular permeability is still uncertain. We investigated the effect of AA bolus injection on the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,C) of isolated rabbit lungs, recirculatingly perfused with Krebs-Henseleit albumin (1%) buffer. Kf,C was measured using repetitive sudden venous pressure elevations (7.5 Torr) and time zero extrapolation of the slope of the weight gain curve. It ranged from 1.3 to 2.4 cm3 X s-1 X Torr-1 X g-1 X 10(-4) in control lungs. Pulmonary arterial injection of AA (100 microM; in presence of 20 microM indomethacin to suppress pulmonary arterial pressure rise) during an acute hydrostatic challenge, but not at zero venous pressure, caused a greater than 10-fold increase in Kf,C. Vascular compliance was not altered. Additional experiments, performed under zero-flow conditions to avoid any ambiguity in microvascular pressure, corroborated the severalfold increase in vascular permeability, detectable within 3 min after AA application during acute hydrostatic challenge.     

Platelet-activating factor increases lung vascular permeability to protein

We studied the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on pulmonary hemodynamics and microvascular permeability in unanesthetized sheep prepared with lung-lymph fistulas. Since cyclooxygenase metabolites have been implicated in mediating these responses, we also examined the role of the cyclooxygenase pathway. PAF infusion (4 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1 for 3 h) produced a rapid, transient rise in pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), plasma thromboxane B2 concentration (TxB2), and pulmonary lymph flow (Qlym). The lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratio (L/P) did not change from base line. Pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, sodium meclofenamate, prevented the generation of TxB2 and the hemodynamic changes but did not prevent the increase in Qlym. The estimated protein reflection coefficient decreased from a control value of 0.66 +/- 0.04 to 0.43 +/- 0.06 after PAF infusion. We also studied the effects of PAF on endothelial permeability in vitro by measuring the flux of 125I-albumin across cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (EC) grown to confluency on a gelatinized micropore filter and mounted within a modified Boyden chemotaxis chamber. PAF (10(-8) to 10(-4) M) had no direct effect on EC albumin permeability, suggesting that the increase in permeability in sheep was not the direct lytic effect of PAF. In conclusion, PAF produces pulmonary vasoconstriction mediated by cyclooxygenase metabolites. PAF also increases pulmonary vascular permeability to protein that is independent of cyclooxygenase products and is not the result of a direct effect of PAF on the endothelium.     

Prostaglandins potentiate U-46619-induced pulmonary microvascular dysfunction.

The induction of cyclooxygenase is an important event in the pathophysiology of acute lung injury. The purpose of this study was to examine the synergistic effects of various cyclooxygenase products (PGE(2), PGI(2), PGF(2alpha)) on thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2))-mediated pulmonary microvascular dysfunction. The lungs of Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused ex vivo with Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing indomethacin and PGE(2) (5 x 10(-8) to 1 x 10(-7) M), PGF(2alpha) (7 x 10(-9) to 5 x 10(-6) M), or PGI(2) (5 x 10(-8) to 2 x 10(-5) M). The TxA(2)-receptor agonist U-46619 (7 x 10(-8) M) was then added to the perfusate, and then the capillary filtration coefficient (K(f)), pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), and total pulmonary vascular resistance (RT) were determined. The K(f) of lungs perfused with U-46619 was twice that of lungs perfused with buffer alone (P = 0.05). The presence of PGE(2), PGF(2alpha), and PGI(2) within the perfusate of lungs exposed to U-46619 caused 118, 65, and 68% increases in K(f), respectively, over that of lungs perfused with U-46619 alone (P < 0.03). The RT of lungs perfused with PGE(2) + U-46619 was approximately 30% greater than that of lungs exposed to either U-46619 (P < 0.02) or PGE(2) (P < 0.01) alone. When paired measurements of RT taken before and then 15 min after the addition of U-46619 were compared, PGI(2) was found to attenuate U-46619-induced increases in RT (P < 0.01). These data suggest that PGE(2), PGI(2), and PGF(2alpha) potentiate the effects of TxA(2)-receptor activation on pulmonary microvascular permeability.     

Edema from cyclooxygenase products of endogenous arachidonic acid in isolated lung

We infused A23187, a calcium ionophore, into the pulmonary circulation of dextran-salt-perfused isolated rabbit lungs to release endogenous arachidonic acid. This led to elevations in pulmonary arterial pressure and to pulmonary edema as measured by extravascular wet-to-dry weight ratios. The increase in pressure and edema was prevented by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibitor, and by 1-benzylimidazole, a selective inhibitor of thromboxane (Tx) A2 synthesis. Transvascular flux of 125I-albumin from vascular to extravascular spaces of the lung was not elevated by A23187 but was elevated by infusion of oleic acid, an agent known to produce permeability pulmonary edema. We confirmed that A23187 leads to elevations in cyclooxygenase products and that indomethacin and 1-benzylimidazole inhibit synthesis of all cyclooxygenase products and TxA2, respectively, by measuring perfusate levels of prostaglandin (PG) I2 as 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha, PGE2, and PGF2 alpha and TxA2 as TxB2. We conclude that release of endogenous pulmonary arachidonic acid can lead to pulmonary edema from conversion of such arachidonic acid to cyclooxygenase products, most notably TxA2. This edema was most likely from a net hydrostatic accumulation of extravascular lung water with an unchanged permeability of the vascular space, since an index of permeability-surface area product (i.e., transvascular albumin flux) was not increased.     

Fructose 1,6-diphosphate augments paraquat injury in isolated dog lungs.

Paraquat (PQ; 1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium dichloride), a widely used herbicide, causes pulmonary edema by a cyclic oxidation and reduction reaction with oxygen molecules with the production of oxygen free radicals. Because fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) has recently been shown to inhibit the generation of oxygen free radicals by activated neutrophils, we determined the effects of FDP on PQ-induced increase in microvascular permeability in isolated blood-perfused dog lungs. Vascular permeability was assessed using the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c) and isogravimetric capillary pressure (Pc,i). There was no change in these variables over 5 h in the control lungs treated with saline (n = 5). A significant increase in Kf,c and a decrease in Pc,i, both of which indicated increased vascular permeability, were observed at 5 h of perfusion with 4 x 10(-3) M PQ (n = 5). Unexpectedly, an increase in microvascular permeability occurred within 4 h after administration of PQ in the lungs that were pretreated with FDP (2.7-14.2 mM, n = 6). Moreover the increases of Kf,c in the FDP-pretreated lungs were significantly greater than those in the lungs treated with PQ alone. Also, the final-to-initial lung weight ratio of the FDP-pretreated group was greater than those of the other groups. Thus the FDP dose used in the present study accentuated rather than prevented the PQ lung injury.     

IL-2 induces pulmonary edema and vasoconstriction independent of circulating lymphocytes

We investigated the effect of IL-2 in the isolated guinea pig lung perfused with phosphate-buffered Ringer's solution (containing 0.5 g/100 ml albumin and 5.5 mM dextrose) to determine the mechanism of IL-2-induced pulmonary edema. IL-2 (0 to 10,000 U/ml) was added to the perfusate following a 10 min baseline steady-state period. Pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), pulmonary capillary pressure (Ppc), and change in lung weight (as a measure of developing pulmonary edema) were recorded at 0, 10, 30, 40, and 60 min. The capillary filtration coefficient (Kf.c), an index of vascular permeability to water, was measured at 30 and 60 min. Infusion of IL-2 increased Ppc (from 3.9 +/- 0.1 cm H2O at baseline to 8.8 +/- 1.1 cm H2O at 60 min for IL-2 at 2000 U/ml, p less than 0.01; and from 3.8 +/- 0.1 cm H2O at baseline to 8.9 +/- 0.6 cm H2O at 60 min for IL-2 at 10,000 U/ml, p less than 0.01. The lung weight also increased (32% at IL-2 concentration of 2000 U/ml, and 26% at IL-2 concentration of 10,000 U/ml) The capillary filtration coefficient did not change with IL-2 infusion. The IL-2 response was prevented using the pulmonary vasodilator, papaverine. The infusion of IL-2 was associated with the generation of thromboxane A2(TxA2) in the effluent perfusate. Inhibition of TxA2 synthetase using Dazoxiben prevented the pulmonary vasoconstriction and edema response to IL-2. In addition, IL-2 had no effect on the transendothelial clearance of 125I-albumin. The results indicate that IL-2 causes pulmonary edema secondary to an increase in Ppc. The response is mediated by IL-2 stimulation of TxA2 generation from the lung.     

Dimethylthiourea decreases acute pulmonary edema induced by phorbol myristate acetate in isolated blood-perfused lung of the rat

Acute pulmonary edema can be induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Oxygen radicals released from the neutrophils have been considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of PMA-induced pulmonary edema. In the present experiment, we studied the effect of dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on PMA-induced pulmonary injuries in isolated perfused lungs of rats. DMTU is a potent scavenger of the hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide. PMA infusion into the isolated lung increased pulmonary arterial pressure (delta PAP) by 37.8 +/- 3.9 mmHg. The lung weight gain (LWG) and lavage albumin concentration (LAC) amounted to 6.2 +/- 1.2 g and 102.0 +/- 22.9 mg/dl, respectively. DMTU (100 mM) pretreatment significantly reduced the PAP increase (delta PAP = 4.6 +/- 0.8 mmHg, p less than 0.001), LWG (0.3 +/- 0.1 g, p less than 0.01) and LAC (25.3 +/- 1.7 mg/dl, p less than 0.01). Additional in vitro experiments demonstrated that DMTU depressed the chemiluminescence released from neutrophils activated by PMA (17.9 +/- 2.6 mV.min to 2.6 +/- 0.5 mV.min, p less than 0.01). The results suggest that DMTU, a scavenger of toxic radicals, decreases the lung edema through both attenuation of pulmonary hypertension and protection of vascular permeability from PMA injury.     

Effects of thromboxane synthase inhibition on tumor necrosis factor-induced lung injury in sheep.

To examine the role of thromboxane (Tx) A2 in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury caused by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), we tested the effects of OKY-046, a selective thromboxane synthase inhibitor, on pulmonary hemodynamics, lung lymph balance, circulating leukocytes, arterial blood gas analysis, and TxA2 (as TxB2) and prostacyclin (as 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha) levels in plasma and lung lymph after TNF infusion in awake sheep. Infusion of human recombinant TNF (3.5 micrograms/kg) into a chronically instrumented awake sheep caused a transient increase in pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa). The Ppa peaked within 15 min of the start of TNF infusion from 23.3 +/- 1.1 (SE) cmH2O of baseline to 42.3 +/- 2.3 cmH2O and then decreased toward baseline. The pulmonary hypertension was accompanied by transient hypoxemia, peripheral leukopenia, and the increases in TxB2 in plasma and lung lymph. These changes were followed by an increase in flow of protein-rich lung lymph, consistent with an increase in pulmonary microvascular permeability. OKY-046 significantly prevented the rises of Ppa and TxB2 concentrations in plasma and lung lymph during early phase after TNF infusion. OKY-046, however, did not attenuate the increase of lung lymph flow, transient hypoxemia, and leukopenia. From these data, and by comparison with our previous studies of OKY-046-pretreated sheep during endotoxemia, we conclude that TxA2 has an important role of the increase in the early pulmonary hypertension, but it is not related to the early hypoxemia, leukopenia, and lung lymph balances in TNF-induced lung injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oxygen radical scavengers protect against eosinophil-induced injury in isolated perfused rat lungs.

The protective effect of oxygen radical scavengers on lung injury induced by activated eosinophils was examined in isolated perfused rat lungs. Eosinophils were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from rats infected with Toxocara canis and activated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). There were no changes in pulmonary vascular (RT) and airway (Raw) resistances and only minimal changes in vascular permeability assessed using the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c) in PMA control lungs and nonactivated eosinophil-treated lungs. In lungs receiving 3 x 10(6) PMA-activated eosinophils, there were significant increases from baseline of 7.3-fold in RT at 30 min, primarily due to the constriction of small arteries and veins; 3.6-fold in Kf,c at 90 and 130 min; and 2.5-fold in Raw. The lungs also became markedly edematous. Both superoxide dismutase and catalase pretreatment prevented the significant increase in Kf,c and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios and partially attenuated the increase in Raw, but did not significantly inhibit the increase in RT induced by activated eosinophils. Heat-inactivated catalase did not attenuate the eosinophil-induced increases in Kf,c, Raw, or RT. Thus, activated eosinophils acutely increased microvascular permeability primarily through production of oxygen free radicals. The free radical scavengers superoxide dismutase and catalase partially attenuated the bronchoconstriction but had no significant effect on the vasoconstriction induced by activated eosinophils.     

Effect of protein kinase C inhibition on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

The current study was done to test the hypothesis that protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors prevent the increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and compliance that occurs in isolated, blood-perfused dog lungs during hypoxia. Pulmonary vascular resistances and compliances were measured with vascular occlusion techniques. Hypoxia significantly increased pulmonary arterial resistance, pulmonary venous resistance, and pulmonary capillary pressure and decreased total vascular compliance by decreasing both microvascular and large-vessel compliances. The nonspecific PKC inhibitor staurosporine (10(-7) M), the specific PKC blocker calphostin C (10(-7) M), and the specific PKC isozyme blocker G?-6976 (10(-7) M) inhibited the effect of hypoxia on pulmonary vascular resistance and compliance. In addition, the PKC activator thymeleatoxin (THX; 10(-7) M) increased pulmonary vascular resistance and compliance in a manner similar to that in hypoxia, and the L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel blocker nifedipine (10(-6) M) inhibited the response to both THX and hypoxia. These results suggest that PKC inhibition blocks the hypoxic pressor response and that the pharmacological activation of PKC by THX mimics the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstrictor response. In addition, L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel blockade may prevent the onset of the hypoxia- and PKC-induced vasoconstrictor response in the canine pulmonary vasculature.     

PO2 modulation of paraquat-induced microvascular injury in isolated dog lungs

We determined the effects of paraquat (PQ) concentrations ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-2) M and three levels of venous PO2 [hypoxia (41 +/- 3 Torr), normoxia (147 +/- 8 Torr), and hyperoxia (444 +/- 17 Torr)] in the presence of 4 x 10(-3) M PQ on microvascular permeability in isolated blood-perfused dog lungs. Capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c) increased and isogravimetric capillary pressure (Pc,i) decreased 3 h after perfusion with 10(-2) M PQ (n = 7) and 5 h after perfusion with 4 x 10(-3) M PQ (n = 6) but not with 10(-3) M PQ (n = 4). In hyperoxic lungs perfused with 4 x 10(-3) M PQ, Kf,c increased to nine times the base-line value 5 h after PQ [0.15 +/- 0.01 to 1.35 +/- 0.25 (SE) ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1]. Pc,i significantly decreased from a base-line value of 9.4 +/- 0.2 to 7.1 +/- 0.4 cmH2O at 3 h. In hypoxic lungs perfused with 4 x 10(-3) M PQ (n = 5), Pc,i and Kf,c changes were not significantly different from those in normoxic lungs treated with PQ. Thus both hyperoxia and an increased dose of PQ shortened the latent period and increased the severity of the PQ-induced microvascular permeability lesion, but hypoxia failed to prevent the PQ damage.