R. Zellweger et al., PAF-ANTAGONIST ADMINISTRATION AFTER HEMORRHAGE-RESUSCITATION PREVENTSSPLENOCYTE IMMUNODEPRESSION, The Journal of surgical research, 59(3), 1995, pp. 366-370
A number of studies have suggested that the inflammatory and chemotact
ic autocoid platelet activating factor (PAF), together with various cy
tokines, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of trauma, sep
sis, and shock. However, little is known about PAF's contribution to t
he immunosuppression associated with hemorrhage. The aim of our study
was, therefore, to determine if the use of a PAF-antagonist following
hemorrhage has any salutary effects on splenocyte lymphokine productio
n. To study this, mice were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial
pressure of 35 mm Hg for 60 min. The mice were then segregated into th
ree groups and were resuscitated with shed blood plus lactated Ringer'
s solution (2X the volume of shed blood), containing either a potent P
AF-antagonist (Ro 24-4736, a thienodiazepine) in dimethyl sulfoxide (D
MSO) or DMSO-vehicle. Sham-operated mice received either DMSO-vehicle
in saline or saline alone. Twenty-four hours thereafter the animals we
re sacrificed and splenocyte cultures established and stimulated for 4
8 hr with Con A (2.5 mu g/ml). Supernatant lymphokine levels were dete
rmined by bioassay. The cellular release of interleukin-2 and -3 (IL-2
and IL-3) by splenocytes was significantly depressed in the nontreate
d or vehicle-treated hemorrhaged animals compared to shams. Treatment
with the PAF-antagonist Ro 24-4736 restored IL-2 and IL-3 release valu
es to levels comparable to those of the sham-operated animals. Thus, (
1) PAF appears to play a significant role in hemorrhage-induced immuno
suppression and (2) the use of a PAF-antagonist to uncouple the PAF-ge
nerated feedback loops prevents the depression in splenocyte function
following hemorrhage. We propose that PAF-antagonists may be useful in
the treatment of hemorrhage-induced immunodepression. (C) 1995 Academ
ic Press, Inc.