title: Antioxidant treatment reverses mitochondrial dysfunction in a sepsis animal model.
abstract: Evidence from the literature has demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the development of multiple organ failure and septic shock. In addition, mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The hypothesis of cytopathic hypoxia postulates that impairment in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation reduces aerobic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and potentially induces MODS. In this work, our aim was to evaluate the effects of antioxidants on oxidative damage and energy metabolism parameters in liver of rats submitted to a cecal ligation puncture (CLP) model of sepsis. We speculate that CLP induces a sequence of events that culminate with liver cells death. We propose that mitochondrial superoxide production induces mitochondrial oxidative damage, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, swelling and release of cytochrome c. These events occur in early sepsis development, as reported in the present work. Liver cells necrosis only occurs 24 h after CLP, but all other events occur earlier (6-12 h). Moreover, we showed that antioxidants may prevent oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in liver of rats after CLP. In another set of experiments, we verified that L-NAME administration did not reverse increase of superoxide anion production, TBARS formation, protein carbonylation, mitochondrial swelling, increased serum AST or inhibition on complex IV activity caused by CLP. Considering that this drug inhibits nitric oxide synthase and that no parameter was reversed by its administration, we suggest that all the events reported in this study are not mediated by nitric oxide. In conclusion, although it is difficult to extrapolate our findings to human, it is tempting to speculate that antioxidants may be used in the future in the treatment of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiopatologia Experimental, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Avenida Universitária, 1105, Criciúma 88006-000, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Zapelini
authors.forename: Gislaine T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rezin
authors.forename: Mariane R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: Fábio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klamt
authors.forename: José C F
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Emilio L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Streck
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002432:Cecum / Q000293:injuries; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications*; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009336:Necrosis / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D013481:Superoxides; D045304:Cytochromes c; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases