E-SELECTIN INVOLVEMENT IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF SPLANCHNIC ARTERY-OCCLUSION SHOCK

We investigated the involvement of E-selectin in the pathogenesis of s planchnic artery occlusion shock. Splanchnic artery occlusion shock wa s induced in anaesthetized rats by clamping splanchnic arteries for 45 min. Sham-operated animals were used as controls. Survival time, seru m tumor necrosis factor-cu, white blood cell count, mean arterial bloo d pressure and myeloperoxidase activity were determined. Splanchnic ar tery occlusion-shocked rats had a decreased survival time (85 +/- 8 mi n, while sham-shocked rats survived more than 4 h), reduced mean arter ial blood pressure, increased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-al pha (186 +/- 9 U/ml) and myeloperoxidase activity in the ileum (0.10 /- 0.04 U x 10(-3)/g tissue) and in the lung (1.5 +/- 0.06 U x 10(-3)/ g tissue). Shocked rats showed histological alterations in the ileum a nd in the lung. Administration of a hyperimmune serum containing speci fic antibodies raised against E-selectin significantly increased survi val time (225 +/- 10 min), reduced leukopenia and myeloperoxidase acti vity both in the ileum (0.035 +/- 0.001 U x 10(-3)/g tissue) and in th e lung (0.3 +/- 0.005 U X 10(-3)/g tissue), improved the cardiovascula r changes and reduced the histological alterations in the ileum and lu ng. Our data are consistent with an involvement of E-selectin in the p athogenesis of splanchnic artery occlusion shock.