Platelet activating factor and systemic anaphylaxis in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-sensitized rats: differential effects of PAF antagonists

Gastric vascular and motor responses to anaphylactic hypotension in anesthetized rats, in comparison to those with hemorrhagic or vasodilator-induced hypotension

Anaphylactic shock is life-threatening, but pathophysiology of the stomach lesion remains unclear. We determined gastric hemodynamics and gastric functions during anaphylactic hypotension, as compared to hypotension induced by hemorrhage or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in anesthetized and ovalbumin-sensitized Sprague–Dawley rats. Systemic arterial pressure, portal venous pressure, and gastric arterial blood flow were measured, and gastric vascular resistance (GVR) was determined. Separately, the intragastric pressure (IGP) and gastric effluent, as a measure of gastric flux, were continuously measured. During anaphylaxis, GVR decreased only transiently at 0.5 min, followed by an increase. IGP increased markedly, while gastric flux decreased. During hemorrhage, GVR and IGP increased, while gastric flux did not change. When SNP was injected, both GVR and IGP decreased and gastric flux increased only just after injection. In conclusion, gastric vasodilatation occurs only transiently after antigen injection, and gastric motility increases, but gastric emptying deceases during anaphylactic hypotension in anesthetized rats.

The Role of Lumbar Sympathetic Nerves in Regulation of Blood Flow to Skeletal Muscle during Anaphylactic Hypotension in Anesthetized Rats

During hypovolemic shock, skeletal muscle blood flow could be redistributed to vital organs via vasoconstriction in part evoked by activation of the innervating sympathetic nerve activity. However, it is not well known whether this mechanism operates during anaphylactic shock. We determined the femoral artery blood flow (FBF) and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity (LSNA) mainly regulating the hindquater muscle blood flow during anaphylactic hypotension in anesthetized rats. Anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to the following groups (n = 7/group): (1) non-sensitized, (2) anaphylaxis, (3) anaphylaxis-lumbar sympathectomy (LS) and (4) anaphylaxis-sinoaortic denervation (SAD) groups. Anaphylaxis was induced by an intravenous injection of the ovalbumin antigen to the sensitized rats. The systemic arterial pressure (SAP), heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP), FBF and LSNA were continuously measured. In the anaphylaxis group, LSNA and HR increased, while SAP and FBF decreased after antigen injection. In the anaphylaxis-SAD group, LSNA did not significantly change during the early phase, but the responses of SAP and FBF were similar to those in the anaphylaxis group. In the anaphylaxis-LS group, both FBF and SAP decreased similarly to the anaphylaxis group during anaphylactic hypotension. These results indicated that LSNA increased via baroreceptor reflex, but this sympathoexcitation or LS did not affect antigen-induced decreases in FBF or SAP. Lumbar sympathetic nerves are not involved in regulation of the blood flow to the hindlimb or systemic blood pressure during anaphylactic hypotension in anesthetized rats.

Vascular perfusion limits mesenteric lymph flow during anaphylactic hypotension in rats

To determine fluid extravasation in the splanchnic vascular bed during anaphylactic hypotension, the mesenteric lymph flow (Qlym) was measured in anesthetized rats sensitized with ovalbumin, along with the systemic arterial pressure (Psa) and portal venous pressure (Ppv). When the antigen was injected into the sensitized rats ( n = 10), Psa decreased from 125 ± 4 to 37 ± 2 mmHg at 10 min with a gradual recovery, whereas Ppv increased by 16 mmHg at 2 min and returned to the baseline at 10 min. Qlym increased 3.3-fold from the baseline of 0.023 ± 0.002 g/min to the peak levels of 0.075 ± 0.009 g/min at 2 min and returned to the baseline within 12 min. The lymph protein concentrations increased after antigen, a finding indicating increased vascular permeability. To determine the role of the Ppv increase in the antigen-induced increase in Qlym, Ppv of the nonsensitized rats ( n = 10) was mechanically elevated in a manner similar to that of the sensitized rats by compressing the portal vein near the hepatic hilus. Unexpectedly, Ppv elevation alone produced a similar increase in Qlym, with the peak comparable to that of the sensitized rats. This finding aroused a question why the antigen-induced increase in Qlym was limited despite the presence of increased vascular permeability. Thus the changes in splanchnic vascular surface area were assessed by measuring the mesenteric arterial flow. The mesenteric arterial flow was decreased much more in the sensitized rats (75%; n = 5) than the nonsensitized Ppv elevated rats (50%; n = 5). In conclusion, mesenteric lymph flow increases transiently after antigen presumably due to increased capillary pressure of the splanchnic vascular bed via downstream Ppv elevation and perfusion and increased vascular permeability in anesthetized rats. However, this increased extravasation is subsequently limited by decreases in vascular surface area and filtration pressure.

Portacaval shunting attenuates portal hypertension and systemic hypotension in rat anaphylactic shock

Anaphylactic shock in rats is characterized by antigen-induced hepatic venoconstriction and the resultant portal hypertension. We determined the role of portal hypertension in anaphylactic hypotension by using the side-to-side portacaval shunt- and sham-operated rats sensitized with ovalbumin (1 mg). We measured the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), portal venous pressure (PVP), and central venous pressure (CVP) under pentobarbital anesthesia and spontaneous breathing. Anaphylactic hypotension was induced by an intravenous injection of ovalbumin (0.6 mg). In sham rats, the antigen caused not only an increase in PVP from 11.3 cmH(2)O to the peak of 27.9 cmH(2)O but also a decrease in MAP from 103 mmHg to the lowest value of 41 mmHg. CVP also decreased significantly after the antigen. In the portacaval shunt rats, in response to the antigen, PVP increased slightly, but significantly, to the peak of 17.5 cmH(2)O, CVP did not decrease, and MAP decreased to a lesser degree with the lowest value being 60 mmHg. These results suggest that the portacaval shunt attenuated anaphylactic portal hypertension and venous return decrease, partially preventing anaphylactic hypotension. In conclusion, portal hypertension is involved in rat anaphylactic hypotension presumably via splanchnic congestion resulting in decreased venous return and thus systemic arterial hypotension.

Leukotrienes and cyclooxygenase products mediate anaphylactic venoconstriction in ovalbumin sensitized rat livers

Hepatic anaphylactic venoconstriction is partly involved in anaphylactic hypotension. We determined the chemical mediators responsible for anaphylaxis-induced segmental venoconstriction in perfused livers isolated from ovalbumin-sensitized rats. Livers were perfused portally and recirculatingly at constant flow with diluted blood. The portal venous pressure (Ppv), hepatic venous pressure (Phv), liver weight and hepatic oxygen consumption were continuously measured. The sinusoidal pressure was measured by the double occlusion pressure (Pdo), and was used to determine the pre-sinusoidal (Rpre) and post-sinusoidal (Rpost) resistances. After antigen injection, both Ppv and Pdo increased, resulting in 5.6- and 1.6-fold increases in Rpre and Rpost, respectively. Liver weight showed a biphasic change of an initial decrease followed by an increase. Hepatic oxygen consumption significantly decreased after antigen. Anaphylaxis-induced increase in Rpre was most extensively inhibited by 38.6% by pretreatment with ONO-1078 (100 microM, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-1 antagonist), among all antagonists or inhibitors administrated individually including TCV-309 (20 microM), AA-2414 (10 microM), ketanserin (10 microM) and indomethacin (10 microM). Combined pretreatment with indomethacin and ONO-1078 exerted additive inhibitory effects and attenuated Rpre by 65.8%. However, TCV-309, a platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist, did not affect the anaphylactic response. In contrast, anaphylaxis-induced increase in Rpost was attenuated only by ONO-1078 combined pretreatment. The antigen-induced changes in liver weight and hepatic oxygen consumption were attenuated significantly when hepatic venoconstriction was attenuated. It is concluded that cysteinyl leukotrienes and cyclooxygenase products, but not PAF, are mainly involved in anaphylaxis-induced pre-sinusoidal constriction in isolated perfused rat livers.

Anti-allergic activity of the Sophorae radix water extract in experimental animals

The water extract of Sophorae radix was tested for its preventive effects against cardiovascular anaphylaxis elicited in experimental animals. In actively sensitized pithed rats, the extract partially protected the animals from death resulting from antigen challenge. Of the cardiovascular changes observed during the anaphylaxis in the pithed animals, the initial pressor response was significantly attenuated by the extract. The extract also improved anaphylactic cardiac dysfunction in passively sensitized isolated guinea hearts: improvement was noted in the contractility, arrhythmic duration and lactate dehydrogenase elevation. The perfusion pressure change to antigen challenge was not altered by the extract in passively sensitized isolated mesenteric artery preparations. The extract however significantly inhibited homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis responses in rats. When examined in isolated guinea pig tracheal muscle, the extract did not influence at reasonable concentrations on the contraction elicited by three major anaphylactic mediators, histamine, leukotriene D4 and serotonin. These results suggest that the water extract of Sophorae radix possesses anti-anaphylactic effect in cardiovascular system, primarily acting on the heart not the peripheral resistance vessels.

Regulation of platelet-activating factor receptor gene expression in vivo by endotoxin, platelet-activating factor and endogenous tumour necrosis factor

A competitive PCR assay was developed to quantify platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor (PAF-R) transcripts in rat tissues using a synthetic RNA as a competitor. We found PAF-R mRNA constitutively expressed in the eight organs tested, with the ileum containing the highest concentration [(3.49+/-0.15) x 10(7) molecules/microg of RNA]. Significant but lower levels were also detected in the jejunum, spleen, lungs, kidneys, heart, stomach and liver. Furthermore we defined the regulatory role of inflammatory mediators in ileal PAF-R gene expression using a rat model of intestinal injury induced by PAF or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Injection of LPS or low-dose PAF resulted in a marked increase in ileal PAF-R mRNA within 30 min. The up-regulation on PAF-R elicited by PAF was biphasic, peaking first at 90 min, then again at 6 h. In contrast, LPS elicited a weak monophasic response. The second phase of PAF-R mRNA increase after PAF administration was completely abolished by WEB 2170, a PAF antagonist, and partially inhibited by antitumour necrosis factor (TNF) antibody. These observations indicate the involvement of endogenous PAF and TNF in this event. In conclusion, we found: (a) preferential PAF-R expression in the ileum, suggesting a role for PAF in intestinal inflammation; (b) induction of PAF-R expression in vivo by its own agonist; (c) a complex regulation of PAR-R gene expression in vivo involving a network of various pro-inflammatory mediators.