title: Adrenocorticotropin reverses vascular dysfunction and protects against splanchnic artery occlusion shock.
abstract: 1. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) is involved in the pathogenesis of splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock. On the other hand, inhibition of TNF-alpha is an important component of the mechanism of action of melanocortins in reversing haemorrhagic shock. We therefore investigated the effects of the melanocortin peptide ACTH-(1 - 24) (adrenocorticotropin fragment 1 - 24) on the vascular failure induced by SAO shock. 2. SAO-shocked rats had a decreased survival rate (0% at 4 h of reperfusion, while sham-shocked rats survived for more than 4 h), enhanced serum TNF-alpha concentrations (755+/-81 U ml-1), decreased mean arterial blood pressure, leukopenia, and increased ileal leukocyte accumulation, as revealed by means of myeloperoxidase activity (MPO=9.4+/-1 U g-1 tissue). Moreover, aortic rings from shocked rats showed a marked hyporeactivity to phenylephrine (PE, 1 nM - 10 microM) (Emax and ED50 in shocked rats=7.16 mN mg-1 tissue and 120 nM, respectively; Emax and ED50 in sham-shocked rats=16.31 mN mg-1 tissue and 100 nM, respectively), reduced responsiveness to acetylcholine (ACh, 10 nM-10 microM) (Emax and ED50 in shocked rats=30% relaxation and 520 nM, respectively; Emax and ED50 in sham-shocked rats=82% relaxation and 510 nM, respectively) and increased staining for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). 3. ACTH-(1 - 24) [160 microg kg-1 intravenously (i.v.), 5 min after SAO] increased survival rate [SAO+ACTH-(1 - 24)=80% at 4 h of reperfusion], reversed hypotension, reduced serum TNF-alpha (55+/-13 U ml-1), ameliorated leukopenia, reduced ileal MPO (1.2+/-0.2 U g-1 tissue), restored the reactivity to PE, improved the responsiveness to ACh and blunted the enhanced immunostaining for ICAM-1 in the aorta. 4. Adrenalectomy only in part - but not significantly - reduced the ACTH-induced shock reversal, the survival rate of SAO+ACTH-(1 - 24) adrenalectomized rats being 60% at 4 h of reperfusion; and methylprednisolone (80 mg-1 i.v., 5 min after SAO) had a non-significant effect (10% survival) at 4 h of reperfusion. 5. The present data show that melanocortins are effective also in SAO shock, their effect being, at least in part, mediated by reduced production of TNF-alpha. Furthermore, they demonstrate, for the first time, that this inhibition is responsible for the adrenocorticotropin-induced reversal of vascular failure and leukocyte accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare, Valeria, 6 98100 Gazzi, Messina, Italy. squadrito@csnet.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Squadrito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guarini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altavilla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Squadrito
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arlotta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quartarone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cucinotta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzani
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cainazzo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mioni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Caputi
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone