title: Cardiopulmonary effects of recombinant interleukin-2 infusion in sheep.
abstract: The systemic administration of recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) with or without lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, a new treatment for patients with advanced cancer, is associated with a presumed "third-space" syndrome. To further define the extent and time course of this toxicity, we established a chronic sheep model and monitored changes in systemic and central vascular pressures, cardiac function, and gas exchange during a 72-h continuous intravenous infusion of rIL-2 at a total dose of 5 (group 3) or 9 x 10(5) U/kg (group 4). At 72 h, caudal mediastinal lymph flow, histology, and extravascular lung water-to-dry lung weight ratio (EVLW/DLW) were obtained. During the rIL-2 infusion there was a dose-dependent significant decrease in systemic blood pressure and arterial Po2 and an increase in core temperature. In group 4, pulmonary arterial pressure increased from a base line of 13 +/- 5 to 21 +/- 6 mmHg (P less than 0.05). Lung lymph flow was significantly increased in groups 3 and 4 compared with animals receiving 0.9% NaCl or excipient infusions (groups 1 and 2). EVLW/DLW values were elevated in groups 3 and 4 (P less than 0.01). In animals receiving rIL-2, histological evaluation revealed a dose-dependent infiltration of lung tissue by lymphoblastoid cells that stained esterase negative. We conclude that rIL-2 infusion in doses comparable to those given to humans results in alterations in systemic and central hemodynamics, gas exchange, high-protein lung lymph flow, and infiltration of lymphoblastoid cells into the lung parenchyma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Glauser
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: DeBlois
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bechard
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Fairman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000187:drug effects; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D012756:Sheep; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins