Abstract
Despite recent investigations, the mechanisms responsible for intestinal epithelial injury during endotoxemia remain unclear. The present study tests the hypothesis that epithelial necrosis and/or apoptosis correlate with nitric oxide (NO) dysregulation in a nonischemic model of sepsis-induced ileal injury. To test this hypothesis, a well-established in situ, autoperfused, feline ileal preparation was employed. After endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS], 3 mg/kg, intravenously; n = 9) or vehicle (control; n = 5) treatment, ileal segments were obtained at baseline, 2 and 4 h for simultaneous evaluations of cellular and mitochondrial ultrastructure, immunoprevalence of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and 3- nitrotyrosine (a stable biomarker of peroxynitrite), and histochemical evidence of apoptosis. Epithelial necrosis was prominent by 2 h post-LPS, despite unaltered global ileal tissue oxygen content, blood volume, and blood flow. Significant evidence of apoptosis and increases in the immunoprevalence of iNOS and 3-nitrotyrosine were not evident until 4 h post-LPS. These results suggest that the early ileal mucosal necrosis may be due to LPS- induced activation of inflammatory pathways and/or microcirculatory disturbances, whereas NO dysregulation may participate in later events, including protein nitration and epithelial apoptosis.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1705-1712 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine |
Volume | 161 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2000 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine