Tumor necrosis factor mediates impaired wound healing in chronic abdominal sepsis.
BACKGROUND
The role of systemic tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as a mediator of impaired wound healing in sepsis is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a specific TNF antagonist (TNFbp) on wound healing during chronic abdominal sepsis.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, control + TNFbp, sepsis, and sepsis + TNFbp. Saline (1.0 mL) or TNFbp (1 mg/kg, 1.0 mL) was injected subcutaneously daily, polyvinylalcohol (PVA) sponge implants were placed in subcutaneous pockets, and sepsis was induced by creation of a chronic, intra-abdominal abscess. Sponge implants were removed on day 5 and examined histologically. Granulation tissue infiltration and quality (connective tissue, cellularity, vascularity) were scored on a scale from 1 to 4 in a blinded fashion.


RESULTS
Septic mortality (19 vs. 25%) was not influenced by TNFbp. Granulation tissue penetration and quality were decreased in septic animals. The administration of TNFbp significantly attenuated the effects of sepsis on granulation tissue histology, but not to control levels.


CONCLUSIONS
These studies provide evidence that TNF contributes to the impaired wound healing observed in this model of chronic abdominal sepsis.
Cooney
R
R
Department of Surgery, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA.
Iocono
J
J
Maish
G
G
Smith
J S
JS
Ehrlich
P
P
D000005:Abdomen; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000494:pharmacology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D018805:Sepsis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053319:Tumor Necrosis Factor Decoy Receptors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011145:Polyvinyls; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D053319:Tumor Necrosis Factor Decoy Receptors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C026699:ivalon sponge; C069521:recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-binding protein-1