title: Contribution of toxic oxygen intermediates to complement-induced reductions in effective hepatic blood flow.
abstract: This study examines the effects of complement activation and of complement-induced oxygen radical production on the principal determinant of hepatic function, i.e., effective hepatic blood flow (EHBF). Female Sprague-Dawley rats received cobra venom factor, 40 units/kg, in two divided doses at 30-minute intervals. At t = 2 hours, thermodilution cardiac output, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, hematocrit, and EHBF by galactose clearance were determined. Complement activation produced a significant depression in EHBF independent of changes in systemic perfusion. To determine whether oxygen radicals participated in the insult, additional animals were pretreated with superoxide dismutase, 6 mg/kg, plus catalase, 15 mg/kg, immediately before complement activation. Concomitant treatment with the oxygen radical scavengers attenuated the degree of complement-induced hepatic ischemia, again independent of effects on systemic perfusion. This study suggests that the reduction in hepatic blood flow that accompanies animal models of trauma and sepsis may result, in part, from the sequelae of complement activation with oxygen radicals as secondary mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Naff
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Fry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000494:pharmacology; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004546:Elapid Venoms; D005609:Free Radicals; D006878:Hydroxides; D013481:Superoxides; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010100:Oxygen