ANTIBODY-SYNTHESIS TO PEPTIDOGLYCAN POLYSACCHARIDE AFTER ISCHEMIC-INJURY OF THE INTESTINE

BALB/c mice (ischemia: 31; controls: 15) were studied to investigate t he effects of intestinal ischemia on antibody synthesis to peptidoglyc an polysaccharide (PGPS), a ubiquitous bacterial antigen found in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The gut ischemia model was produced by placing a vessel loop around the superior mesenteric vesse ls for 45 minutes. All animals in the ischemia group had visible gut i schemia. Eighteen animals (58%) in the ischemia group survived to 24 h ours and all experienced total recovery of gut viability. Single-cell suspensions of splenic lymphocytes were made. After 5 days of culture with lipopolysaccharide, anti-PGPS immunoglobulin concentrations in cu lture supernatants were measured by ELISA using high-titer BALB/c anti -PGPS serum as control. The synthesis of immunoglobulin by 10(5) lymph ocytes was significantly increased in the ischemia group compared with the controls. These results represent the translocation of bacteria a fter intestinal ischemia, and this antibody response may be important in resistance to sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction attributed to b acterial translocation.