The role of reactive oxygen free radical in the pathogenetic mechan- ism of endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in domestic pigs.

Abstract

To identify the pathogenetic role of reactive oxygen free radical-induced oxidation reaction in endotoxin-induced acute lung injury, we infused endotoxin into 8 domestic pigs; endotoxin only (n=3), pretreatment with dimethylthiourea (DMTU) (n=5). We observed the sequential changes in hemodynamic parameters, the concentration of plasma oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in pulmonary arterial and venous blood, and albumin content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The results were as follows. 1) While cardiac output decreased, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and alveolar-arterial oxygen difference increased over phase 1 (0-2 hr) and phase 2 (2-4.5 hr) by endotoxin, DMTU attenuated the above changes only during phase 2. 2) While the concentration of plasma GSSG increased significantly by endotoxin during phase 2, there were no significant differences between pulmonary arterial and venous GSSG contents during both phases. The increase in plasma GSSG content was attenuated by DMTU. 3) The content of BALF albumin was significantly lower in DMTU group than that of endotoxin group. These results suggest that reactive oxygen free radical-induced oxidation reaction may have an important pathogenetic role in endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in pigs, which seems to be greater during phase 2 rather than phase 1.