title: Countervailing influence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide in endotoxemia.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a crucial mediator in sepsis, elicits multiple biologic effects, including intravascular thrombosis and circulatory shock. TNF-alpha exerts its biologic effects through two distinct cell surface receptors, TNF-R1 and TNF-R2. The pathophysiologic interaction between TNF-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) in glomerular thrombosis caused by endotoxemia in rats and wild-type mice (C57BL6) as well as in knockout mice that are deficient in TNF-R1 (R1 -/-), TNF-R2 (R2 -/-), or both receptors (R1R2 -/-) was studied. Administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; Escherichia coli endotoxin) resulted in increased NO and TNF-alpha production but failed to induce glomerular thrombosis. Concomitant administration of LPS + NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; an NO synthesis inhibitor) resulted in glomerular thrombosis in rats and in wild-type mice. Intraperitoneal administration of pentoxifylline before LPS inhibited TNF-alpha synthesis and prevented glomerular thrombosis in rats given LPS + L-NAME. In contrast to the results observed in rats and wild-type mice, administration of LPS + L-NAME did not result in glomerular thrombosis in knockout mice with either single or double TNF-alpha receptor deletion. Thus, during endotoxemia, (1) TNF-alpha fosters glomerular thrombosis if there is deficiency of NO synthesis and (2) both TNF-alpha receptors are necessary for TNF-alpha's prothrombogenic action. Clinically, these novel studies suggest that in gram-negative endotoxemia, inhibition of NO synthesis and selective blockade of TNF-alpha receptors may provide unique therapeutic approaches for mitigation of glomerular thrombosis and restitution of vascular tone.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Hypertension Section, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Edgar A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jaimes
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Hypertension Section, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Domingo Del
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Hypertension Section, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Leopoldo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raij
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010431:Pentoxifylline; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester