title: Endothelin immunoreactivity in mice with gram-negative bacteraemia: relationship to tumour necrosis factor-alpha.
abstract: 1. To investigate the role of endothelin in Gram-negative bacteraemia and the possible involvement of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in its pathophysiology, we measured plasma and tissue (lung, kidney and spleen) immunoreactive endothelin levels in Gram-negative bacteraemic mice, with and without passive immunization by anti-(tumour necrosis factor-alpha) antibody. 2. Plasma immunoreactive endothelin levels were greatly increased after the Escherichia coli injection. Pretreatment with anti-(tumour necrosis factor-alpha) antibody did not suppress elevated plasma immunoreactive endothelin levels (P greater than 0.1). 3. Lung tissue immunoreactive endothelin levels in mice were increased 16 h after the E. coli injection and were not affected by prior passive immunization with anti-(tumour necrosis factor-alpha) antibody. Immunoreactive endothelin in spleen and kidney was undetectable (less than 34 fmol/g wet weight). 4. Injection of rMu tumour necrosis factor-alpha into mice did not increase plasma immunoreactive endothelin levels. 5. Antibody to endothelin given 30 min after a 90% lethal dose challenge with E. coli did not affect mortality. 6. We conclude that the rise in plasma and tissue endothelin that occurs in Gram-negative bacteraemia is independent of tumour necrosis factor-alpha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghatei
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016232:Endothelins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha