Myocardial function after gut ischemia/reperfusion: does NF kappaB play a role?
BACKGROUND
Mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a common problem in critically ill patients and is frequently associated with myocardial dysfunction. Several potential mechanisms have been proposed to be involved in the myocardial dysfunction associated with mesenteric I/R, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF kappaB)-mediated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release leading to cardiodepression. Thus, we sought to investigate the effect of NF kappaB inhibition on mesenteric I/R-associated myocardial dysfunction in a large animal model (dog).


METHODS
A total of 21 mongrel dogs were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Animals were instrumented with a Swan-Ganz Catheter, left ventricle (LV) pressure manometer, and ultrasonic crystals. Mesenteric I/R consisted of 60 min of ischemia followed by 180 min of reperfusion. Seven animals received pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, 100 mg/kg) prior to mesenteric I/R (I/R PDTC). Another group of animals (n = 7) without mesenteric ischemia received PDTC following baseline measurements and served as control for the effect of PDTC alone (PDTC). Preload recruitable stroke work, +/-dp/dt(max), isovolumic relaxation (tau), and cardiac output were measured. Myocardial tissue was analyzed for NF kappaB activity, TNF-alpha production, and myocardial apoptosis.


RESULTS
Mesenteric I/R impaired both LV systolic and diastolic function. Administration of PDTC worsened LV function impairment following I/R. In addition, PDTC resulted in decreased LV function even without mesenteric I/R. NF kappaB, TNF-alpha, and myocardial apoptosis were not different among the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Mesenteric I/R affects LV function independent of NF kappaB and TNF-alpha pathways. PDTC acts as a cardiac depressant through a thus far unknown mechanism. Therefore, evaluation of cardiac and hemodynamic function in experimental setups using PDTC has to be carefully interpreted.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Uwe M
UM
Fischer
Ravi S
RS
Radhakrishnan
Karen S
KS
Uray
Hasen
H
Xue
Charles S
CS
Cox
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002302:Cardiac Output; D016923:Cell Death; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology*; D015424:Reperfusion; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D013599:Systole
D016328:NF-kappa B