Leupeptin inhibits ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction in rats.
BACKGROUND
Controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) has been shown to result in elevated diaphragmatic proteolysis and atrophy together with diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction.


OBJECTIVE
To test whether administration of leupeptin, an inhibitor of lysosomal proteases and calpain, concomitantly with 24 hours of CMV, would protect the diaphragm from the deleterious effects of mechanical ventilation.


METHODS
Rats were assigned to either a control group or 24 hours of CMV; animals in the ventilation group received either a single intramuscular injection of saline or 15 mg/kg of the protease inhibitor, leupeptin.


RESULTS
Compared with control animals, mechanical ventilation resulted in a significant reduction of the in vitro diaphragm-specific force production at all stimulation frequencies. Leupeptin completely prevented this reduction in force generation. Atrophy of type IIx/b fibers was present after CMV, but not after treatment with leupeptin. Cathepsin B and calpain activities were significantly higher after CMV compared with the other groups; this was abolished by treatment with leupeptin. Significant inverse correlations were found between diaphragmatic force generation and cathepsin B and calpain activity, and illustrate the deleterious role of proteolysis in diminishing diaphragmatic force production after prolonged CMV.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of the protease inhibitor leupeptin concomitantly with mechanical ventilation completely prevented ventilation-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction and atrophy.
Maes
Karen
K
Respiratory Muscle Research Unit, Laboratory of Pneumology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Testelmans
Dries
D
Powers
Scott
S
Decramer
Marc
M
Gayan-Ramirez
Ghislaine
G
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002154:Calpain / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005470:Fluorometry; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D002154:Calpain; D002401:Cathepsin B