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Biomedical subjects

M Intaglietta

Publications and source records attributed to M Intaglietta.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Systemic and microcirculatory effects of autologous whole blood resuscitation in severe hemorrhagic shock.

Systemic and microcirculatory effects of autologous whole blood resuscitation after 4-h hemorrhagic shock with a mean arterial pressure (MAP) level of 40 mmHg were investigated in 63 conscious Syrian golden hamsters. Microcirculation of skeletal skin muscle and subcutaneous connective tissue was visualized in a dorsal skinfold. Shed blood was retransfused within 30 min after 4 h. Animals were grouped into survivors in good (SG) and poor condition (SP) and nonsurvivors (NS) according to 24-h outcome after resuscitation and studied before shock, during shock (60, 120, and 240 min), and 30 min and 24 h after resuscitation. Microvascular and interstitial PO2 values were determined by phosphorescence decay. Shock caused a significant increase of arterial PO2 and decrease of PCO2, pH, and base excess. In the microcirculation, there was a significant decrease in blood flow (QB), functional capillary density (FCD; capillaries with red blood cell flow), and interstitial PO2 [1.8 +/- 0.8 mmHg (SG), 1.3 +/- 1.3 mmHg (SP), and 0.9 +/- 1.1 mmHg (NS) vs. 23.0 +/- 6.1 mmHg at control]. Blood resuscitation caused immediate MAP recompensation in all animals, whereas metabolic acidosis, hyperventilation, and a significant interstitial PO2 decrease (40-60% of control) persisted. In NS (44.4% of the animals), systemic and microcirculatory alterations were significantly more severe both in shock and after resuscitation than in survivors. Whereas in SG (31.8% of the animals) there was only a slight (15-30%) but still significant impairment of microscopic tissue perfusion (QB, FCD) and oxygenation at 24 h, SP (23.8% of the animals) showed severe metabolic acidosis and substantial decreases (>/=50%) of FCD and interstitial PO2. FCD, interstitial PO2, and metabolic state were the main determinants of shock outcome.

Animals↗

Microcirculatory basis for the design of artificial blood.

Artificial blood or blood substitutes are being developed using molecular solutions of modified free hemoglobin. When these products are used and the red blood cell mass is reduced below the transfusion trigger, there is a condition of extreme hemodilution which is characterized by a significant reduction of blood viscosity and NO production, reflex vasoconstriction, decreased functional capillary density, and impaired microvascular function. This combination of events may be lethal because decreased NO availability may also increase the intrinsic oxygen consumption of the tissue. Current developments in the understanding of the physiology of the microcirculation in extreme hemodilution, and the physical events associated with the substitution of red blood cells with molecular hemoglobin solutions show that a viable "artificial blood" can be obtained from a new formulation of the product, where viscosity is such that when introduced in the circulation the resulting viscosity of blood is close to normal, the dissociation curve is left shifted and the concentration of hemoglobin is in the range of 3-5 g Hb/dl. This formulation redistributes viscous losses in the circulation causing higher capillary pressure which maintains functional capillary density, a key parameter in tissue survival. Furthermore the increased plasma viscosity increases shear stress in the microcirculation, enhancing the production shear dependent vasodilators, thus counteracting the vasoconstrictor effects due to NO scavenging by free hemoglobin solutions. A principal feature of this formulation is that it maintains microvascular function when the transfusion trigger is passed and the circulation is subjected to extreme hemodilution.

Animals↗

Microvascular and tissue oxygen gradients in the rat mesentery.

One of the most important functions of the blood circulation is O2 delivery to the tissue. This process occurs primarily in microvessels that also regulate blood flow and are the site of many metabolic processes that require O2. We measured the intraluminal and perivascular pO2 in rat mesenteric arterioles in vivo by using noninvasive phosphorescence quenching microscopy. From these measurements, we calculated the rate at which O2 diffuses out of microvessels from the blood. The rate of O2 efflux and the O2 gradients found in the immediate vicinity of arterioles indicate the presence of a large O2 sink at the interface between blood and tissue, a region that includes smooth muscle and endothelium. Mass balance analyses show that the loss of O2 from the arterioles in this vascular bed primarily is caused by O2 consumption in the microvascular wall. The high metabolic rate of the vessel wall relative to parenchymal tissue in the rat mesentery suggests that in addition to serving as a conduit for the delivery of O2 the microvasculature has other functions that require a significant amount of O2.

Animals↗

Subcutaneous microvascular responses to hemodilution with a red cell substitute consisting of polyethyleneglycol-modified vesicles encapsulating hemoglobin.

Phospholipid vesicles encapsulating purified hemoglobin [Hb vesicles (HbV); diameter 259 +/- 82 mm; oxygen affinity 31 mm Hg; [Hb] 5 and 10 g/dL] were developed to provide oxygen-carrying capacity to plasma expanders. Their function as a blood replacement was tested in the subcutaneous microvasculature of awake hamsters during severe hemodilution in which 80% of the red blood cell mass was substituted with suspensions of the vesicles in 5% human serum albumin (HSA) solution. Vesicles were tested with membranes that were unmodified (HbV/HSA) or conjugated with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) on the vesicular surface (PEG-HbV/HSA). The viscosity of 10 g/dL HbV/HSA was 8 cP at 358 s-1 owing to the intervesicular aggregation, while that of 10 g/dL PEG-HbV/HSA was 3.5 cP, since PEG chains inhibit aggregation. Both materials yielded normal mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and blood gas parameters at all levels of exchange, which could not be achieved with HSA alone. Subcutaneous microvascular studies showed that PEG-HbV/HSA significantly improved microhemodynamic conditions (flow rate, functional capillary density, vessel diameter, and oxygen tension) relative to unmodified HbV/HSA. Even though the enhancement of PEG modification did not achieve the functional characteristics of the blood-perfused microcirculation, PEG reduced vesicular aggregation and viscosity, improving microvascular perfusion relative to the unmodified type. These results highlight the significance of microvascular analysis in the design of red cell substitutes and the necessity of surface modification of HbV to prevent aggregation.

Animals↗

Depression of endothelial and smooth muscle cell oxygen consumption by endotoxin.

An optical method based on the oxygen-dependent quenching of a phosphorescent probe (palladium-porphyrin) was used to investigate the effect of bacterial endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] on oxygen consumption (VO2) by vascular cells. Endothelial (EC) and smooth muscle (SMC) cells from pig aorta were suspended in culture medium in the presence of palladium-porphyrin and transferred to glass capillary tubes that were sealed to create a hypoxic environment. Measured PO2 changed as a function of time in a highly predictable fashion when cell suspensions were exposed to agents or treatment known to affect cellular metabolism. Both EC and SMC showed a significant decrease in VO2 as cell density increased, and SMC VO2 was significantly higher than EC (1.94 +/- 0.09 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.15 nmol . min-1 . 10(6) cells-1). Exposure to LPS (1 microg/ml) caused a decrease in VO2 of 46% and 15% for EC and SMC, respectively. Pretreatment of cells with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a substrate for glutathione synthesis with antioxidant properties, restored VO2 to normal values after exposure to LPS. These data suggest that endotoxin impairs VO2 in cells derived from the vascular wall and indicate the importance of EC and SMC respiration in maintaining vascular homeostasis under conditions of sepsis.

Acetylcysteine↗

Plasma viscosity regulates capillary perfusion during extreme hemodilution in hamster skinfold model.

Effect of increasing blood viscosity during extreme hemodilution on capillary perfusion and tissue oxygenation was investigated in the awake hamster skinfold model. Two isovolemic hemodilution steps were performed with 6% Dextran 70 [molecular weight (MW) = 70,000] until systemic hematocrit (Hct) was reduced by 65%. A third step reduced Hct by 75% and was performed with the same solution [low viscosity (LV)] or a high-molecular-weight 6% Dextran 500 solution [MW = 500, 000, high viscosity (HV)]. Final plasma viscosities were 1.4 and 2.2 cP (baseline of 1.2 cP). Hct was reduced to 11.2 +/- 1.1% from 46.2 +/- 1.5% for LV and to 11.9 +/- 0.7% from 47.3 +/- 2.1% for HV. HV produced a greater mean arterial blood pressure than LV. Functional capillary density (FCD) was substantially higher after HV (85 +/- 12%) vs. LV (38 +/- 30%) vs. baseline (100%). PO2 levels measured with Pd-porphyrin phosphorescence microscopy were not statistically changed from baseline until after the third hemodilution step. Wall shear rate (WSR) decreased in arterioles and venules after LV and only in arterioles after HV. Wall shear stress (WSR x plasma viscosity) was substantially higher after HV vs. LV. Increased mean arterial pressure and shear stress-dependent release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor are possible mechanisms that improved arteriolar and venular blood flow and FCD after HV vs. LV exchange protocols.

Animals↗

In vivo tissue pO2 measurements in hamster skinfold by recessed pO2 microelectrodes and phosphorescence quenching are in agreement.

OBJECTIVE: Phosphorescence quenching has been used successfully to optically measure in vivo blood pO2 in the microvasculature. Optical measurements have also been made in some tissues, but it is not clear whether these results accurately reflect tissue pO2. METHODS: Recessed pO2 microelectrodes and the phosphorescence quenching technique were used simultaneously to measure in vivo tissue pO2 in hamster skinfold. The optical window for phosphorescence quenching was focused around the tips of microelectrodes that were positioned in tissue regions at least 100 microns from large microvessels. RESULTS: Mean tissue pO2 measured by recessed pO2 microelectrodes was 18.4 +/- 1.7 (SE) Torr, and mean tissue pO2 determined from the time course of phosphorescence decay was 18.8 +/- 2.0 Torr (no significant difference). The two tissue pO2 measurements agreed over a wide range, from 2 to 46 Torr (r = 0.93, 39 paired measurements from six sites in 3 animals). There was no systematic change in the microelectrode tissue pO2 during the period of light excitation used for the optical method. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of our study, sufficient amounts of porphyrin dye leaked from the vasculature and diffused into tissue, allowing accurate measurements of tissue pO2 by the phosphorescence quenching technique. Furthermore, the optical method did not deplete significant amounts of O2 from tissue during light excitation.

Animals↗

Microcirculation: its significance in clinical and molecular medicine.

Microcirculation represents the smallest functional unit of the cardiovascular system, where the interaction between blood and tissue creates the environment necessary for cell function. Analysis of physiology and pathophysiology of this system gives a unique perspective to the disease process, and provides the link between clinical and molecular medicine. The present status and future directions of this medical and scientific frontier were assessed and projected by experts in the field at a meeting in Italy in 1995, and the conclusions are presented in this article.

Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous↗

Microvascular oxygen delivery and interstitial oxygenation during sodium pentobarbital anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesia may represent a considerable bias in experimental medicine, particularly in conditions of stress (such as hemorrhage). Sodium pentobarbital (PB), widely used for cardiovascular investigations, may impair oxygen delivery by hemodynamic and respiratory depression. The critical issue, however, is whether the microcirculation can still maintain tissue oxygenation during anesthesia. To answer this question, the authors studied the effect of PB anesthesia on subcutaneous microvascular oxygen delivery and interstitial oxygenation in Syrian golden hamsters. METHODS: Sodium pentobarbital anesthesia was induced by intravenous injection (30 mg/kg body weight) and maintained by a 15-min infusion (2 mg.kg-1.min-1), with animals breathing spontaneously (PB-S) or ventilated with air (PB-V). Systemic parameters evaluated were mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, cardiac index (CI), arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2), base excess, and pH. Microvascular and interstitial oxygen tension (PO2), vessel diameter, red blood cell velocity (vRBC), and blood flow (Qb) were measured in a dorsal skinfold preparation. Microcirculatory PO2 values were determined by phosphorescence decay. RESULTS: Sodium pentobarbital anesthesia significantly decreased CI, MAP, vRBC, and Qb. During PB infusion, PaO2 values were 56 +/- 12.8 mmHg (PB-S) and 115.9 +/- 14.6 mmHg (PB-V) compared with 69.4 +/- 18.2 mmHg and 61.4 +/- 12.6 mmHg at baseline. However, microvascular PO2 was reduced by 25-55% in both groups, resulting in an interstitial PO2 decrease from 23.9 +/- 5.6 mmHg (control) to 13.1 +/- 9.1 mmHg (PB-S) and 15.2 +/- 7 mmHg (PB-V). Microcirculatory PO2 values were restored 30 min after PB infusion, even though hemodynamic depression and a light anesthetic plane were maintained. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium pentobarbital anesthesia caused impairment of microvascular oxygen delivery and interstitial oxygenation, effects that were not prevented by mechanical ventilation. Although these effects were restricted to deep anesthetic planes, prolonged hemodynamic depression suggests that caution is warranted when using PB as an anesthetic in cardiovascular investigations.

Anesthesia↗

Fluid resuscitation with O2 vs. non-O2 carriers after 2 h of hemorrhagic shock in conscious hamsters.

Efficacy of a cell-free o-raffinose cross-linked and oligomerized hemoglobin (Hemo-link) solution in restoring macro- and microcirculatory conditions after 2 h of hemorrhagic shock (40 mmHg) was compared with conventional treatment with autologous whole blood, Ringer lactate (RL), and Dextran 70. Studies were conducted in the dorsal skinfold microcirculation of conscious hamsters. Initial infusion was equivalent to shed blood volume (SBV) for RL and 50% of SBV for remaining solutions. After 2 h all animals received blood at 50% of SBV. Vessel diameter, functional capillary density, microvascular red blood cell velocity, and flow were measured. Arteriolar, venular, and tissue PO2 were determined by phosphorescence decay. Systemic parameters included mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, arterial blood gases, pH, and base excess. Autologous whole blood and Hemolink, but not Dextran 70 and RL, restored mean arterial blood pressure, systemic blood gas, and metabolic parameters. Tissue PO2 recovered to 40-50% with blood and Hemolink but remained significantly lower (10-15% of control) with Dextran 70 and RL. Initial volume replacement after shock with blood or Hemolink yields equivalent macro- and microhemodynamic improvements not attainable with non-O2-carrying plasma expanders.

Animals↗

pO2 measurements in arteriolar networks.

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that the average arteriolar pO2 in the hamster skinfold preparation is lower than arterial systemic pO2. In the present work we tested the hypothesis that there is a longitudinal gradient of pO2 along precapillary vessels. Experiments were performed in Syrian golden hamsters bearing a dorsal skin chamber. The oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence of palladium-porphyrin complexes was used to measure intravascular pO2 in the microcirculation. Arterioles were classified in four orders according to their position in the network, first-order vessels being the entrance points. Simultaneous determinations of diameter (D), red blood cell velocity, and systemic blood gases were also made. There was a significant fall of pO2 between vessels of different orders. First-order arterioles (mean D = 64 microns) had pO2 of 51.8 +/- 9.8 mm Hg (mean +/- SD) which was equivalent to approximately equal to 73% of the arterial systemic pO2. Within the arteriolar network, further decreases of intravascular pO2 were measured, leading to a pO2 of 34.0 +/- 7.9 mm Hg in terminal arterioles (mean D = 7.7 microns). In some vessels pO2 was measured in different positions of the same arteriole. The average longitudinal arteriolar oxygen saturation gradient was 3.4 +/- 0.4 delta %/mm (range 0.8-7.2). A significant and positive correlation was found between pO2 and microhemodynamic parameters when arterioles were grouped according to their order. This relation was not significant for venules which showed a mean pO2 of 30.8 +/- 10.8 mm Hg. Tissue pO2 averaged 24.6 +/- 5.8 mm Hg. We conclude that: (1) There is an oxygen loss in arterial vessels larger than 100 micrograms in diameter, (2) arteriolar pO2 in this preparation depends on the position of the vessel within the network, (3) a substantial portion of oxygen delivery to the hamster skin is provided by the arteriolar network, and (4) only a small pO2 gradient exists between terminal arterioles and venules, suggesting that the contribution of the capillary network to tissue oxygenation is relatively small.

Animals↗

NO-mediated activation of heme oxygenase: endogenous cytoprotection against oxidative stress to endothelium.

We investigated the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the induction of the stress protein heme oxygenase and its protective role in vascular endothelial cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Treatment of porcine aortic endothelial cells for 6 h with the NO-releasing compounds (0.1-1 mM) sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), and 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in heme oxygenase activity. At 1 mM, the activity of heme oxygenase was augmented 8.5-fold with SNP, 5.8-fold with SNAP, and 5.7-fold with SIN-1 over the control value. In contrast, endothelial cells exposed to 100 microM S-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, a tissue-permeable analogue that mimics the action of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, did not show any change in heme oxygenase activity. Activation of the inducible NO synthase by the synergistic action of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (250 ng/ml) and interferon-gamma (100 U/ml) also increased endothelial heme oxygenase activity by 3.2-fold (P < 0.05 vs control). Methylene blue (1 microM), an inhibitor of both NO synthase and guanylate cyclase activities, completely abolished this effect. Cells previously exposed to SNAP and SIN-1 exhibited a significant protection against the cytotoxicity mediated by hydrogen peroxide (250 microM) (P < 0.05). Conversely, SNP did not show any protective effects, possibly because of catalytic iron released during its chemical decomposition. In fact, the iron chelator deferoxamine (5 mM) completely suppressed the SNP-mediated cytotoxicity and partially attenuated the activity of heme oxygenase to a level equal to that mediated by SIN-1 and SNAP. These results indicate that NO is a determinant in the modulation of the activity of heme oxygenase leading to a major resistance of the endothelium to oxidative stress.

Animals↗

Systemic and subcutaneous microvascular Po2 dissociation during 4-h hemorrhagic shock in conscious hamsters.

The relationship between systemic and microvascular Po2 in subcutaneous connective tissue and hemodynamics was investigated during 4-h hemorrhagic shock (40 mmHg) in conscious Syrian hamsters (n = 66) fitted with a dorsal skinfold window. Systemic blood gases, metabolic parameters, arteriolar, venular, and tissue Po2, microvascular red blood cell velocity, and blood flow were evaluated in survivors (S) and nonsurvivors (NS). Surviving animals were resuscitated with shed blood. Microvascular and tissue Po2 were measured by phosphorescence decay of Pd-meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (30 mg/kg body wt iv). Shock caused a significant dissociation between systemic arterial and microvascular arteriolar Po2 levels. Arterial Po2 increased from 59.7 +/- 12.0 to 110.8 +/- 19.7 mmHg (S) and from 64.0 +/- 13.7 to 128.5 +/- 10.1 mmHg (NS), whereas Po2 in large arterioles decreased from 56.9 +/- 5.5 (control) to 29.5 +/- 20.1 (S) and 6.0 +/- 5.7 mmHg (NS). Correspondingly, tissue Po2 fell from 24.1 +/- 6.8 (control) to 0.9 +/- 0.6 (S) and 0.4 +/- 0.3 mmHg (NS). Venous Po2 decreased from 28.8 +/- 3.7 to 20.4 +/- 4.1 (S) and from 28.0 +/- 2.9 to 16.3 +/- 0.5 mmHg (NS). Shock outcome and tissue oxygenation were predicted by arterial blood gases and metabolic and microcirculatory conditions but not by central venous Po2.

Animals↗

Effect of oxymetazoline nose drops on acute sinusitis in the rabbit.

This investigation was designed to evaluate the effect of the common topical nasal decongestant oxymetazoline hydrochloride on the early local tissue defense in an experimental bacterial infection. For that purpose, a bilateral infection of the maxillary sinus was induced in 14 rabbits. Nose drops (oxymetazoline) were instilled in one nasal cavity, and placebo in the other. After 48 hours, the degree of infection was judged by using a semiquantitative inflammatory score to evaluate histologic preparations of the maxillary sinuses. On the oxymetazoline-treated side, we found a significantly higher degree of inflammation. We conclude that oxymetazoline nose drops, commonly used in acute rhinitis and sinusitis, interfere with the normal defense mechanisms during bacterially induced sinusitis, possibly by a decrease in mucosal blood flow.

Acute Disease↗