Lesão pulmonar aguda induzida por injeção intraperitoneal de lipopolissacáride em ratos wistar com ou sem enfisema induzido por elastase

Introduction: The response of lungs with emphysema to a systemic insult such as sepsis is not known. Structural and inflammatory abnormalities in lungs caused by emphysema might alter their response to sepsis and thus influence the incidence and severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome. We therefore aimed to compare the severity and extension of acute lung injury in response to intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection in rats with and without emphysema induced by elastase. Methods: Twenty four adult Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups, each of them with 6 animals: control (C-C), emphysema without sepsis (E-C), control with sepsis (C-LPS) and emphysema with sepsis (E-LPS). Emphysema was induced by intratracheal instillation of pancreatic porcine elastase (12 IU/animal). Three weeks later, sepsis was induced by intraperitoneal Escherichia coli LPS injection (10 mg/kg). Twenty four hours after sepsis induction, animals underwent mechanical ventilation for 10 minutes and then blood was sampled for gasometric analysis. Thereafter, euthanasia and the following analysis were performed: BAL, lung permeability and histology. Results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range), when appropriate, and compared using ANOVA followed by Tukey test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Mann-Whitney test. Results: Significant increase in lung injury score was observed in the C-LPS [0.62 (0.19)] and E-LPS [0.59 (0.13)] compared to the groups C-C [0.11 (0.09)] and E-C [0.15 (0.05)] (p < 0.05). Total cell (C-LPS=2.37 ± 0.74; E-LPS=5.37 ± 0.13; C-C=0.73 ± 0.36; E-C=3.09 ± 7.53 x 105) and neutrophil counts [C-LPS=1.39 (1.48); E-LPS=4.39 (1.95); C-C=0.065 (0.11); E-C=0.68 (0.61) x 105] in the BAL were significantly higher in the groups that received LPS (p < 0.05). Significantly higher total cell and neutrophil counts in the BAL were also observed in the E-LPS group compared to C-LPS (p < 0.05). The group E-LPS showed a significant increase in the BAL/serum albumin ratio compared to C-LPS [0.069 (1.243) vs. 0.007 (0.002), respectively] (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the gas exchange levels among the groups. Conclusions: The presence of emphysema increases the inflammatory response in the lungs to a systemic stimulus, represented in this model by the intraperitoneal injection of LPS.Introdução: A forma como pulmões com enfisema respondem a uma agressão sistêmica como a sepse não é conhecida. É possível que as alterações inflamatórias e estruturais nos pulmões com enfisema alterem a resposta dos mesmos à sepse influenciando no desenvolvimento da síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo. Objetivo: Comparar a lesão pulmonar secundária à sepse, induzida por lipopolissacarídeo (LPS) intraperitoneal, em ratos com e sem enfisema induzido pela administração intratraqueal de elastase. Métodos: Vinte e quatro ratos Wistar adultos foram randomizados para quatro grupos de seis animais: controle (C-C), enfisema (E-C), controle com sepse (C-LPS) e enfisema com sepse (E-LPS). O enfisema foi induzido pela injeção intratraqueal de elastase pancreática de porco (12 UI/ animal). Após três semanas deste procedimento, a sepse foi induzida pela injeção intraperitoneal de LPS da Escherichia coli (10 mg/Kg). Vinte e quatro horas após a indução da sepse, os animais foram submetidos à ventilação mecânica por 10 minutos para posterior coleta da gasometria arterial. A seguir, foram eutanasiados e as seguintes análises foram realizadas: lavado broncoalveolar (LBA), permeabilidade pulmonar e histologia. Os resultados foram expressos em média ± desvio padrão ou mediana (intervalo interquartil), quando apropriado, e comparados por ANOVA seguida do teste de Tukey, ou por Kruskal-Wallis seguido do teste de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: O escore de lesão pulmonar foi significativamente maior nos grupos C-LPS [0,62 (0,19)] e E-LPS [0,59 (0,13)] em comparação com os grupos C-C [0,11 (0,09)] e E-C [0,15 (0,05)] (p < 0,05). A contagem total de células (C-LPS=2,37 ± 0,74; E-LPS=5,37 ± 0,13; C-C=0,73 ± 0,36; E-C=3,09 ± 7,53 x 105) e de neutrófilos [C-LPS=1,39 (1,48); E-LPS=4,39 (1,95); C-C=0,07 (0,11); E-C=0,68 (0,61) x 105] no LBA foi significativamente maior nos grupos C-LPS e E-LPS comparado aos grupos C-C e E-C (p < 0,05). Animais do grupo E-LPS apresentaram maior contagem de células totais e de neutrófilos no LBA em comparação com o grupo C-LPS (p < 0,05). Na avaliação da razão albumina LBA/soro, o grupo E-LPS apresentou aumento significativo quando comparado ao C-LPS [0,069 (1,243) vs. 0,007 (0,002), respectivamente, p < 0,05]. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas nas trocas gasosas entre os grupos. Conclusões: A presença de enfisema foi acompanhada de maior inflamação pulmonar em resposta à agressão sistêmica induzida pela injeção intraperitoneal de LPS, levando a uma maior lesão da barreira alvéolo-capilar. Palavras-chave: enfisema pulmonar, sepse, lesão pulmonar aguda, síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo, elastase pancreática, lipopolissacarídeos.FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerai

Pre-treatment with dexamethasone attenuates experimental ventilator-induced lung injury

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects that administering dexamethasone before the induction of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) has on the temporal evolution of that injury. Methods: Wistar rats were allocated to one of three groups: pre-VILI administration of dexamethasone (dexamethasone group); pre-VILI administration of saline (control group); or ventilation only (sham group). The VILI was induced by ventilation at a high tidal volume. Animals in the dexamethasone and control groups were euthanized at 0, 4, 24, and 168 h after VILI induction. We analyzed arterial blood gases, lung edema, cell counts (total and differential) in the BAL fluid, and lung histology. Results: At 0, 4, and 24 h after VILI induction, acute lung injury (ALI) scores were higher in the control group than in the sham group (p < 0.05). Administration of dexamethasone prior to VILI induction decreased the severity of the lung injury. At 4 h and 24 h after induction, the ALI score in the dexamethasone group was not significantly different from that observed for the sham group and was lower than that observed for the control group (p < 0.05). Neutrophil counts in BAL fluid were increased in the control and dexamethasone groups, peaking at 4 h after VILI induction (p < 0.05). However, the neutrophil counts were lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group at 4 h and 24 h after induction (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment with dexamethasone also prevented the post-induction oxygenation impairment seen in the control group. Conclusions: Administration of dexamethasone prior to VILI induction attenuates the effects of the injury in Wistar rats. The molecular mechanisms of such injury and the possible clinical role of corticosteroids in VILI have yet to be elucidated

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved