title: Pulmonary artery endothelial cell function in swine pseudomonas sepsis.
abstract: A substantial increase in pulmonary vascular resistance is associated with sepsis and its sequelae (sepsis syndrome and septic shock). It is postulated that increased resistance may result from sepsis-induced endothelial cell injury or altered vasoreactivity secondary to pulmonary hypertension. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that sepsis causes endothelial cell injury and that increased pulmonary pressure alters vascular reactivity. Young swine (15-25 kg) were anesthetized and ventilated. Septic animals received a 1-hr infusion of live Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 11), and the control cohort received 0.9% NaCl (n = 7). All animals were studied for 300 min following the infusion. Postmortem branches of peripheral pulmonary arteries were prepared and tested in a vessel myograph. Ring segments were set to 90% of the circumference the vessels would have at pressures of 20, 30, 40, or 50 mmHg (L90), corresponding to varying pulmonary pressures observed in sepsis. A high dose of potassium was used to obtain maximum possible contraction. Prostaglandin was used to precontract the vessels before testing endothelial cell responses to acetylcholine or bradykinin. Sodium nitroprusside was added at the end of each experiment to obtain maximum possible smooth muscle relaxation. No differences in contraction or relaxation were observed when vessels were set to different pressures (i.e., 20 vs 50 mmHg). Maximum possible contraction to KCl was significantly decreased after 300 min of sepsis compared to control. No differences between groups were found in contractility to prostaglandin. Bradykinin-induced EDRF/NO production, mediated by BK2 receptors, was not altered in Pseudomonas sepsis (97-98% of total relaxation control and 91-95% septic cohort). Response to acetylcholine was significantly decreased after sepsis (89-95% of total relaxation control and 51-61% of septic cohort relaxation). Decreased response to acetylcholine could not be attributed to decreased smooth muscle sensitivity to nitric oxide because the response to bradykinin plus sodium nitroprusside was not altered following sepsis. Vessel reactivity was not altered by increasing pressure settings reflective of changing pulmonary pressure in vivo. These results strongly suggest a sepsis-induced alteration in pulmonary artery endothelial cell receptor sensitivity to acetylcholine, independent of changing pulmonary arterial pressures. This is the first time this decrease has been shown in pseudomonas sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Virginia-Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0645, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadletz
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dignan
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sugerman
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wechsler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013552:Swine; D014661:Vasoconstriction; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D015237:Dinoprost; D011188:Potassium