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Biomedical subjects

G Schlag

Publications and source records attributed to G Schlag.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

IL-6 release after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats is under partial control of TNF.

Although there is much evidence to substantiate the view that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of multiple organ injury subsequent to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), it is still unclear whether TNF is involved in triggering the release of other inflammatory mediators in this condition. The current study was designed to determine the potential effects of TNF blockade, by means of monoclonal antibody (TNF MoAb) treatment, on plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6) in rats after acute intestinal I/R injury. Anesthetized rats underwent 75-min occlusion of superior mesenteric artery followed by 6 hr of reperfusion. The animals were treated with TNF MoAb or control protein at a dose of 20 mg/kg i.v. 30 min before the onset of I/R. Similar IL-6 responses in both the portal and the systemic circulation were observed in animals subjected to intestinal I/R, who showed a progressive increase in plasma IL-6 concentration upon release of the clamp. In animals receiving TNF MoAb before I/R, the subsequent IL-6 release following reperfusion was significantly blunted compared to the levels in controls (P < 0.05). The present study demonstrates that the activation and/or release of IL-6 in the setting of acute gut I/R may, at least in part, be mediated via TNF-dependent mechanisms, providing further evidence that a complex interaction exists between TNF and IL-6.

Animals↗

Complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence of baboon tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Baboons are less LPS-sensitive than humans, even though their immune response mechanisms are similar. Since TNFalpha is a central mediator of the LPS-response we cloned and sequenced the baboon TNFalpha cDNA and compared the resulting sequence with the human TNFalpha sequence. Analysis of the TNFalpha protein coding region indicated 97% homology and of the 3' UTF 89%. The predicted baboon TNFalpha amino acid sequence differed at 10 positions from the human sequence. "TA" rich motifs within the 3' UTR were 100% homologous.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Monoclonal antibody to endotoxin attenuates hemorrhage-induced lung injury and mortality in rats.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the possible role of enteric bacteria-derived endotoxin in the pathogenesis of the lung injury and mortality in rats following hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Animal laboratory of an institute for research traumatology. SUBJECTS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 450 to 480 g. INTERVENTIONS: Anesthetized rats were subjected to a prolonged hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure of 30 to 35 mm Hg for 180 mins) followed by resuscitation. A murine monoclonal antibody to lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli and Salmonella, WN1 222-5, was administered at a total dose of 5 mg/kg i.v., starting at the onset of shock (WN1 group). The control group was treated similarly to the WN1 group but received saline at the same volume as WN1 222-5. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 48-hr mortality rate was significantly reduced by WN1 222-5 treatment (28.6% in the treatment group vs. 78.6% in the control group; p = .0169). The characteristic lung injury in this model was significantly reduced in the WN1 group, as assessed by microscopic histopathologic examination increase in lung wet weight (7.60 +/- 0.47 g/kg in the control group vs. 5.14 +/- 0.31 g/kg in the WN1 group; p = .0002), and pulmonary neutrophilic infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity: 1835 +/- 567 mU/g wet weight in the control group vs. 891 +/- 212 mU/g wet weight in the WN1 group). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a) endotoxin derived from enteric bacteria might play an important role in the pathogenesis of lung injury; and b) antiendotoxin agents, such as WN1 222-5, appear to protect against endogenous bacterial endotoxin-related disorders in severe hemorrhagic shock in rats.

Animals↗

Effects of inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on pulmonary hemodynamics and lymph flow in oleic acid lung injury in sheep.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on oxygenation, hemodynamics, and lymphatic drainage in an oleic acid lung injury model in sheep. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Animal research laboratory. ANIMALS: Thirty female sheep, weighing 35 to 40 kg. INTERVENTIONS: Acute lung injury was induced by central venous injection of oleic acid (0.5 mL/kg body weight). A chronic lymph fistula had been prepared through a right thoracotomy 3 days before the experiment. Animals were assigned randomly to the NO group (n = 14) or the ECMO group (n = 16). When a lung injury score of > 2.5 was achieved, the animals were given NO in dosage increments of 2, 5, 10, 20, and 40 parts per million (ppm), or placed on ECMO with an FIO2 of 0.21 (ECMO-21) and then 1.0 (ECMO-100) at the oxygenator. Mechanical ventilator parameters were kept constant to isolate the effects of NO and ECMO on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics, cardiac output, oxygenation parameters, lymph/plasma protein ratio, and lymph flow. Measurements and calculations were performed after 1 hr at each individual step of NO concentration or FIO2. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In the ECMO group, PVRI and MPAP did not change and were significantly different from the NO group. In the NO group, there was a dose-dependent decrease in venous admixture, maximal at 10 ppm NO and decreasing from 40 +/- 6% to 23 +/- 10% (p < .05). This decrease was significantly different from the ECMO group, where there was no change. There was a significant increase in PaO2/FIO2 in the NO group, maximal at 10 ppm NO (84 +/- 11 to 210 +/- 90, p < .05), but a greater increase in PaO2/FIO2 on ECMO-21 (81 +/- 14 to 265 +/- 63) and a further increase on ECMO-100 (398 +/- 100) (p < .05). The lymph/plasma protein ratio remained unchanged in both groups after induction of lung injury by oleic acid. However, lymph flow decreased by 11 +/- 6% in the NO group, whereas it increased by 14 +/- 17% in the ECMO group (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In an oleic acid-induced sheep model of acute lung injury, there were significant differences between the effects of NO and ECMO on acute pulmonary hypertension, hypoxemia, hypercarbia, and lymph flow. NO significantly decreases pulmonary hypertension, whereas pulmonary hemodynamics were not substantially affected by ECMO. Both interventions reversed hypoxemia, but ECMO did so to a greater degree, and only ECMO improved hypercarbia. Only NO decreased lymph flow, possibly as an effect of decreased microvascular filtration pressure. This study did not attempt to evaluate the impact of these interventions on ventilatory requirements, barotrauma, or outcome. However, this model suggests that NO therapy may moderate pulmonary hypertension and improve lymph flow in acute lung injury. Clinical studies are needed to assess whether NO therapy might be beneficial in treatment of severe acute lung injury in older children and adults.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Interleukin-8 released into the cerebrospinal fluid after brain injury is associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction and nerve growth factor production.

Interleukin (IL) 8 was measured in CSF of 14 patients with severe traumatic brain injury. IL-8 levels were significantly higher in CSF (up to 8,000 pg/ml) than serum (up to 2,400 pg/ml) (p < 0.05), suggesting intrathecal production. Maximal IL-8 values in CSF correlated with a severe dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier. Nerve growth factor (NGF) was detected in CSF of 7 of 14 patients (range of maximal NGF: 62-12,130 pg/ml). IL-8 concentrations were significantly higher in these patients than in those without NGF (p < 0.01). CSF containing high IL-8 (3,800-7,900 pg/ml) induced greater NGF production in cultured astrocytes (202-434 pg/ml) than samples with low IL-8 (600-1,000 pg/ml), which showed a smaller NGF increase (0-165 pg/ml). Anti-IL-8 antibodies strongly reduced (52-100%) the release of NGF in the group of high IL-8, whereas in the group with low IL-8, this effect was lower (0-52%). The inability of anti-IL-8 antibodies to inhibit the synthesis of NGF completely may depend on cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-6 found in these CSF samples, which may act in association with IL-8. Thus, IL-8 may represent a pivotal cytokine in the pathology of brain injury.

Adolescent↗

Intramedullary pressure and bone marrow fat intravasation in unreamed femoral nailing.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether intramedullary pressure and bone marrow fat embolization are different in unreamed compared with conventional reamed femoral nailing. The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between the two techniques. DESIGN: A prospective consecutive nonrandomized clinical trial. METHODS: Intramedullary pressure was measured in the distal femoral fracture fragment at the supracondylar region. Bone marrow fat intravasation was measured by means of the modified Gurd-test. Monitoring was carried out in 31 unreamed and eight reamed intramedullary femoral nailing procedures. RESULTS: Intramedullary pressure increased in the unreamed group to 82 +/- 11 mm Hg during the insertion of 9-mm and 10-mm nails and in the reamed group to 396 +/- 85 mm Hg during reaming of the medullary cavity. Insertion of nails after reaming led to an increase in intramedullary pressure of 79 +/- 13 mm Hg. A positive correlation between fat intravasation and intramedullary pressure was found in each group (rs = 0.73), resulting in less liberation of bone marrow fat in the unreamed group than in the reamed group. CONCLUSIONS: Intramedullary pressure increased significantly in the reamed more than in the unreamed group. Bone marrow fat intravasation depended on the rise in intramedullary pressure, and occurred less frequently in unreamed than in reamed intramedullary femoral fracture stabilization.

Adolescent↗

Significance of TNF in hemorrhage-related hemodynamic alterations, organ injury, and mortality in rats.

To evaluate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hemodynamic alterations, multiple organ damage, and mortality caused by hemorrhagic shock, we employed a monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha (TNF-alpha MAb) in anesthetized rats subjected to prolonged hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure of 30-35 mmHg for 180 min) followed by resuscitation over 50 min. Treatment of rats with 20.0 mg/kg TNF-alpha MAb 15 min after the end of resuscitation significantly decreased the total peripheral resistance index (P = 0.031) and provided remarkable protection from multiple organ damage compared with controls. The 48-h survival rate was significantly higher in the treatment group (73.3%) than in the control group (26.7%; P = 0.029). The results suggest that TNF-alpha induced by hemorrhagic shock in rats is an important mediator of pathophysiological alterations associated with cardiovascular abnormalities, multiple organ injury, and even lethality. Postresuscitation treatment with TNF-alpha MAb, even after an initial TNF-alpha formation had occurred, significantly attenuated the cardiovascular consequences and improved the survival rate. Thus monoclonal antibodies to TNF-alpha might provide new prospects in the treatment of hemorrhage-related disorders.

Animals↗

Mediators of injury and inflammation.

Mediators play a key role in the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and multiple organ failure of vital organs. In this short review, we update our knowledge on these mediator networks. First, we summarize the stimuli that occur during severe trauma (intraoperative stress), including polymorphonuclear neutrophil-derived tissue-damaging substances, complement activation products, and adherence molecules such as selectins. The gut in shock is discussed as an important intermediate step in the transition from noninfectious to infectious SIRS. Second, we describe the mediators, including cytokines, nitric oxide, phospholipase A2, platelet-activating factor, and procoagulatory substances, that are released during sepsis. The release of mediators depends primarily on the severity of the trauma, shock, or sepsis and secondarily on the activation of the various cascades of mediators during posttraumatic/postoperative complications. The mediators are thus of decisive importance regarding the intensity of organ damage and the outcome.

Humans↗

Animal models as the basis of pharmacologic intervention in trauma and sepsis patients.

With limited resources and the current concerns about using animals for research purposes, the needs must be clear when setting up trauma and sepsis experiments for pharmacologic interventions. Such interventions are performed typically for four reasons: (1) to study the pathophysiologic role of certain mediators (which can be influenced by pharmacologic agents); (2) to study the therapeutic efficacy of treatment strategies; (3) to study the overall safety of new drugs under trauma/sepsis conditions, which are adjunct studies to standard toxicology; (4) to test new diagnostic procedures in a defined trauma or sepsis setting. Intervention in the inflammatory response may be performed at several levels: (1) at the primary induction site (e.g., by antilipopolysaccharide or by preventing complement activation); (2) at the intermediate mediator level (e.g., by antitumor necrosis factor); (3) at the final mediator level (e.g. , by block of polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase, and (4) at the target (e.g., by membrane stabilization or enhanced antioxidant defense).

Animals↗

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome after cardiac operations.

BACKGROUND: A systemic inflammatory response after open heart operation may be responsible for hyperdynamic circulatory instability and organ dysfunction. To what extent mediator release is involved needs to be clarified. METHODS: Ten patients with postoperative hyperdynamic circulatory dysregulation (group I) requiring application of alpha-constrictors and 10 patients with routine cardiac procedures and stable postoperative hemodynamic indices (group II) were analyzed for mediator release and metabolic and hemodynamic changes until the third postoperative day. RESULTS: Group I patients showed a significantly increased cardiac index and decreased systemic vascular resistance after bypass (cardiac index, group I: 5.2 +/- 1.2 L.min-1.m-2, group II: 2.5 +/- 1.6 L.min-1.m-2; systemic vascular resistance, group I: 495 +/- 204 dyne.s. cm-5, group II: 1,356 +/- 466 dyne.s.cm-5) and at 3 hours (cardiac index, group I: 4.4 +/- 0.8 L.min-1.m-2, group II: 2.9 +/- 0.6 L.min-1.m-2; systemic vascular resistance, group I: 567 +/- 211 dyne.s.cm-5, group II: 1,053 +/- 273 dyne.s.cm-5). Significantly higher serum levels of interleukin-6 were assessed in group I (postbypass, group I: 6,812 +/- 9,293 pg/mL, group II: 295 +/- 303 pg/mL; 3 hours, group I: 3,474 +/- 5,594 pg/mL, group II: 286 +/- 296 pg/mL). Concentrations of elastase, tumor necrosis factor, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor, and interleukin-8 were elevated in group I (not significant). Early postoperative levels of soluble E-selectin and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule were also higher in group I (not significant). Continuously increased levels of endotoxin could be detected in only 3 of 10 patients in group I. Severe lactic acidosis (> or = 5 mmol/L) occurred in group I only. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative hyperdynamic instability after open heart operations appears to be associated with a certain pattern of mediator release. In particular, interleukin-6 appears to be involved in circulatory dysregulation and metabolic derangement.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

Comparison of endothelial activation during endotoxic and posttraumatic conditions by serum analysis of soluble E-selectin in nonhuman primates.

Because the presence of E-selectin, which is one of the adhesion molecules on the endothelium, cannot be determined directly in vivo except by invasive biopsy techniques, the only available kinetic information concerning its activity is the serum level of the soluble form. Therefore we tried to measure soluble E-selectin levels and compare the degree of endothelial activation in a trauma and endotoxic situation, where endothelial activation is supposed to occur. To perform these studies, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with two monoclonal antibodies was set up and used in (1) a model of endotoxic shock in baboons (n = 8) (1.5 mg/kg Escherichia coli endotoxin as a 10-minute intravenous infusion), (2) a hemorrhagic traumatic shock model in baboons (n = 6), where trauma was simulated by infusion of zymosan-activated serum and hemorrhage. Soluble E-selectin was released in vivo after the application of endotoxin, and it reached a peak level after 24 hours (13.82 +/- 5.38 ng/ml). In baboons with hemorrhagic shock, much lower levels (5.03 +/- 1.98 ng/ml) of soluble E-selectin were found. A lower soluble E-selectin level indicates a lower level of endothelial activation after experimental hemorrhagic traumatic shock (with endotoxin translocation from the gut) as compared with endotoxic shock probably caused by much lower endotoxin levels in traumatic shock.

Animals↗

Evaluation of a soluble E-selectin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay under posttraumatic conditions.

The up-regulation of E-selectin, one of the adhesion molecules on the endothelium, is an important event in the mediation of the inflammatory response. Because the presence of E-selectin cannot be determined directly in vivo except by invasive biopsy techniques, the only available information concerning its activity is the serum level of the soluble form. Therefore we tried to measure soluble E-selectin levels in trauma and sepsis situations, where endothelial activation is supposed to occur. We have investigated the soluble E-selectin levels in a group of patients undergoing the trauma associated with cardiac surgery and the use of extracorporeal circulation, some of whom developed a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We have also confirmed that our enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) will detect the levels of soluble E-selectin that are produced as a result of the exposure of cultured human umbilical endothelial cells to even low levels of endotoxin. The data presented in this paper indicate that in patients with SIRS after extracorporeal circulation, the levels of circulating soluble E-selectin are numerically higher but---at least in this group of patients---not statistically significantly different from the levels in patients who have undergone the surgery. These results suggest that the measurement of serum levels of soluble E-selectin is not a reliable method for monitoring the onset of SIRS in patients having undergone surgical trauma, although we have confirmed that our ELISA will detect the levels of soluble E-selectin that are produced as a result of the exposure of cultured human endothelial cells to even low levels of endotoxin.

Adult↗

Monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor-alpha attenuates hemodynamic dysfunction secondary to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on the hemodynamic alterations and survival rate in rats subjected to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Animal laboratory of an institute for research in traumatology. SUBJECTS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 430 to 460 g. INTERVENTIONS: Anesthetized rats underwent 75 mins of superior mesenteric artery occlusion followed by 6 hrs of reperfusion. The animals were treated intravenously with either TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody (TN3, 20 mg/kg) or the control protein (albumin, 20 mg/kg) 30 mins before the onset of ischemia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Pretreatment with TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody significantly attenuated the decreases in blood pressure and cardiac index (p < .01) compared with controls, for < or = 6 hrs after reperfusion. Stroke volume remained stable in the TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody-treated group and was significantly higher than in the control group at 0.5, 5, and 6 hrs after reperfusion (p < .05 at 0.5 and 5 hrs and p < .01 at 6 hrs). No differences in vascular resistance index values were observed between the two groups at any point in time (p > .05). After intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury, both the portal and systemic TNF concentrations in the control animals were completely neutralized by TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody treatment. The 72-hr survival rate was significantly (p < .01) better in the treatment group (90%, 9/10) than in the control group (20%, 2/10). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury can lead to increased TNF release into both the portal and the systemic circulation, which may be an important factor contributing to the development of hemodynamic dysfunction. Pretreatment with TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody significantly attenuates the cardiovascular consequences and improves the survival rate after acute intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Animals↗