Intravenous Immunoglobulin Prevents Murine Antibody-Mediated Acute Lung Injury at the Level of Neutrophil Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Production

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a leading cause of transfusion-associated mortality that can occur with any type of transfusion and is thought to be primarily due to donor antibodies activating pulmonary neutrophils in recipients. Recently, a large prospective case controlled clinical study of cardiac surgery patients demonstrated that despite implementation of male donors, a high incidence of TRALI still occurred and suggested a need for additional interventions in susceptible patient populations. To examine if intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may be effective, a murine model of antibody-mediated acute lung injury that approximates human TRALI was examined. When BALB/c mice were injected with the anti-major histocompatibility complex class I antibody 34-1-2s, mild shock (reduced rectal temperature) and respiratory distress (dyspnea) were observed and pre-treatment of the mice with 2 g/kg IVIg completely prevented these symptoms. To determine IVIg's usefulness to affect severe lung damage, SCID mice, previously shown to be hypersensitive to 34-1-2s were used. SCID mice treated with 34-1-2s underwent severe shock, lung damage (increased wet/dry ratios) and 40% mortality within 2 hours. Treatment with 2 g/kg IVIg 18 hours before 34-1-2s administration completely protected the mice from all adverse events. Treatment with IVIg after symptoms began also reduced lung damage and mortality. While the prophylactic IVIg administration did not affect 34-1-2s-induced pulmonary neutrophil accumulation, bone marrow-derived neutrophils from the IVIg-treated mice displayed no spontaneous ROS production nor could they be stimulated in vitro with fMLP or 34-1-2s. These results suggest that IVIg prevents murine antibody-mediated acute lung injury at the level of neutrophil ROS production and thus, alleviating tissue damage

Carbohydrate, Lipid, and Protein Composition of Zooxanthellae and Animal Fractions of the Coral Pocillopora damicornis Exposed to Ammonium Enrichment

The carbohydrate, lipid, and protein composition of coral tissue and zooxanthellae were compared in Hawaiian Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus) colonies kept at different ammonium levels. Corals were maintained at two levels of ammonium enrichment (20 uM and 50 uM), in locally drawn seawater with < 1 uM ammonium, and in water stripped of ammonium by running over a flume with macroalgae. No significant differences due to the treatment were found in the biochemical composition of the coral tissue. The values from control corals were 900, 275, and 170 ug/cm2 for protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, respectively. Under all treatments the carbohydrate levels of zooxanthellae were inconsistent, but did not differ much from the control value of about 650 pg per cell. Lipid content in the control of nonenriched algae remained at ca. 140 pg per cell. However, in the 20-uM treatment algal lipid content increased to about 200 pg per cell during the second and fourth weeks, decreased slightly at 6 weeks, and remained at 164 pg per cell after 8 weeks. In the 50-uM ammonium treatment, there was a decrease to levels of about 40 pg lipids per cell for the entire period. Protein content increased from a control value of 590 pg per cell to ca. 950 pg per cell after 2 and 4 weeks of 20-uM ammonium enrichment and then after 6 weeks dropped back to the control level. At 50-uM ammonium the algal protein content increased after 2 weeks and remained at about 900 pg per cell after 6 and 8 weeks. The preliminary nature of this study is emphasized