Left Thoracic Duct Research Articles

Thoracic duct lymph flow in pregnant sheep and response to blood volume expansion.

Left thoracic duct lymph flow rate averaged 0.077 +/- 0.003 (SD) and 0.078 +/- 0.003 ml X min-1 X kg-1 in near-term pregnant and nonpregnant sheep (P greater than 0.5). Lymph and plasma protein concentrations were unaltered in the pregnant compared with the nonpregnant animals. The thoracic duct lymph flow responses to three serial intravenous infusions of lactated Ringer solution were essentially the same in the pregnant and nonpregnant animals. Blood volume and vascular pressure changes during and after volume loading were essentially the same in both groups. In addition, terbutaline administration after volume loading caused no change in thoracic duct lymph flow rates. Thus the present study suggests that basal lymph flow rates, lymphatic function, and vascular as well as interstitial compliances are largely unaltered late in pregnancy in the sheep. In addition, beta-mimetic stimulation with terbutaline does not appear to suppress lymph flow rate.

Effect of soy protein and casein intake on intestinal absorption and lymphatic transport of cholesterol and oleic acid

Rats were fed for 4 wk on defined diets containing either casein or soy as the protein source, or diets in which the lysine/arginine ratios were modified by addition of arginine to casein, and lysine to the soy diet. During this period, weight gains and food intakes were comparable in the four dietary groups. Animals were subjected to cannulation of the left thoracic lymphatic duct, and after an overnight fast, were given a single intragastric dose of a lipid emulsion containing oleic acid and cholesterol. The overall 24-h recoveries of cholesterol and fatty acid in lymph were similar in the four groups, as were the distribution of lipids among the major lipid fractions and lipoprotein classes of thoracic duct lymph. However, analysis of timed lymph collections indicated that absorption of lipids was more rapid in casein-fed rats than in those fed soy protein. Furthermore, addition of arginine to the casein diet resulted in a slowed rate of lipid absorption, and addition of lysine to the soy diet markedly increased the rate of lipid absorption.

Effects of hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic fluids on thoracic duct lymph flow.

To test whether whole-body lymph flow responses to vascular volume loading depend on osmolality, we measured left thoracic duct lymph flow rate and protein concentration, plasma protein concentration, plasma osmolality, hematocrit, and arterial and venous pressures in pentobarbital-anesthetized, acutely nephrectomized dogs. Hypo- (100 mosmol), iso- (309 mosmol), and hypertonic (600 mosmol) saline, isotonic lactated Ringer solution, and 5% glucose in lactated Ringer solution (580 mosmol) were infused into the jugular vein (20 ml/kg per infusion over 5 min at 30-min intervals). Changes in blood, interstitial, and cellular volumes were calculated from the infused volume and from the hematocrit and plasma osmolality. The hypotonic fluid increased lymph flow about half as much as the isotonic fluid, whereas the hypertonic fluids increased lymph flow about twice as much as the isotonic infusions. Responses appeared independent of the osmotic agent, because hypertonic NaCl was as effective as hypertonic glucose in increasing lymph flow. Responses were not altered appreciably after lowering arterial pressure by 25 mmHg. The major finding of this study is that for every condition we explored, the excess lymph flow over 30 min (ELF in ml X kg-1 X 30 min-1) correlated with the change in interstitial fluid volume (delta ISFV in ml/kg); ELF = 0.076 delta ISFV (r = 0.909). These data suggest that cellular fluid that enters the interstitium is equally effective in increasing thoracic duct lymph flow as is vascular fluid that filters into the interstitium.

Does the autonomic nervous system regulate whole-body lymph flow?

We compared whole-body lymph flow responses with and without the autonomic nervous system intact in pentobarbital-anesthetized, acutely nephrectomized dogs. We measured left thoracic duct lymph flow, lymph and plasma protein concentrations, arterial and venous pressures, heart rate, and hematocrit in eight intact and six ganglion-blocked (hexamethonium, 15 mg/kg iv) animals. Ganglionic blockade lowered arterial pressure and heart rate but did not change lymph flow rate or the other variables. In the control and blocked groups at 30-min intervals, isotonic saline, lactated Ringer, and Dextran 70 solutions were serially infused, followed by hemorrhage and reinfusion of shed blood. Infusions or withdrawals were equal to 2% of body weight and were induced over 5-min intervals followed by 25 min of recovery. Lymph flow generally increased to a peak 5-7 min after each infusion was ended and then decayed back toward preinfusion levels; the extent of the rise in lymph flow, the time of the peak flow, and the extent of decay after the peak were unaffected by autonomic blockade. The absolute lymph flow rates in response to the infusions, hemorrhage, or blood infusion were not appreciably altered by ganglionic blockade. Thus the present studies provide little support to the hypothesis that the autonomic nervous system contributes to whole-body lymph flow.

Thoracic duct lymph flow and protein flux dynamics: responses to intravascular saline.

Fluid and protein flux responses in the left thoracic duct and vasculature were measured in pentobarbital-anesthetized, nephrectomized, adult dogs before and after four successive intravascular saline infusions of 2% of body weight each. We found three main characteristics of the thoracic lymph flow and protein flux responses to the intravenous saline: 1) lymph flow reached a peak and then decreased by approximately 40% after each infusion; 2) the maximum lymph flow occurred 5-7 min after terminating each infusion; and 3) the lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratio fell more than may be expected from the distribution of the infused saline. We were unable to explain these experimental data with a simple two-compartment mathematical model representing the vascular and interstitial spaces. To adequately explain the data, the model had to be expanded to four compartments representing a vascular compartment, two interstitial compartments each with different capillary protein permeabilities, and a lymphatic compartment. We also found it necessary to include interstitial stress relaxation, a nonlinear function curve for lymph flow versus interstitial fluid pressure, and a complaint lymphatic system.

Lymphatic absorption of shellfish sterols and their effects on cholesterol absorption

Studies have been conducted on the absorbability of individual sterols from a mixture of oyster sterols when administered intragastrically to rats with indwelling catheters in the left thoracic duct. In addition, the effect of oyster sterols on cholesterol absorption has been assessed using [4-14C] cholesterol in the mixture, and comparison against absorption of cholesterol alone. The order of absorbability (percentage absorption) of individual sterols from the mixture of oyster sterols was: cholesterol greater than or equal to 26-carbon sterols greater than or equal to dehydrocholesterol greater than 24-methylene cholesterol greater than brassicasterol greater than plant sterols. The absorption of noncholesterol sterols was 8.2 +/- 0.8% of the fed dose, or less than half of that for an equivalent level of cholesterol alone. The presence of these sterols in mixtures containing cholesterol reduced lymphatic absorption of cholesterol by 25 to 40% compared to absorption of the same amount of cholesterol administered alone, or to an amount of cholesterol equal to the total oyster sterols, respectively. These studies suggest that shellfish sterols are poorly absorbed, and, like plant sterols, effectively reduce dietary and/or endogenous cholesterol absorption from the intestine.

Differential transport of cholesterol and oleic acid in lymph lipoproteins: sex differences in puromycin sensitivity

Adult rats of both sexes were prepared with indwelling drainage catheters in the left thoracic lymphatic duct, and with duodenal infusion catheters. Control and puromycin-treated animals were administered an aqueous test emulsion containing [7alpha-(3)H]cholesterol and [1-(14)C]oleic acid, followed two hours later, by a tracer dose of [1-(14)C]-leucine. Successive 2-hr lymph samples were subjected to ultracentrifugal separations of the major lipoprotein classes. These were specifically extracted for lipids, and for DNA- and lipid-free protein. In both sexes, oleic acid absorption was largely associated with the d < 1.006 g/ml chylomicron fraction throughout the 6-hr experimental period. Small but consistent levels of labeled fatty acid appeared in the 1.006 < d < 1.019 g/ml VLDL fraction. However, with both sexes 25-35% of the absorbed cholesterol appearing in lymph was recovered in the VLDL fraction. Furthermore, there were statistically greater levels of cholesterol in this lymph fraction in females than in males. Cumulative protein levels and leucine incorporation into chylomicron proteins was comparable in both sexes. However, VLDL protein in the female was significantly greater than in the male and this difference was mimicked by the greater incorporation of leucine into VLDL proteins in the female. In males, there were no significant effects of puromycin on cholesterol or oleic acid absorption, despite a marked inhibition in chylomicron protein levels and leucine incorporation into this fraction. There was also no effect of the inhibitor on VLDL protein levels or on leucine incorporation into VLDL peptides. Cholesterol but not oleic acid absorption in females was significantly depressed by administration of puromycin, and this was largely attributed to a decrease in VLDL transport of the sterol. Also, unlike males, leucine incorporation into VLDL peptides was inhibited by 75% by puromycin administration. These results emphasize the importance of non-chylomicron transport of cholesterol during absorption and suggest a hormonal influence on intestinal VLDL synthesis in female rats.-Vahouny, G. V., E. M. Blendermann, L. L. Gallo, and C. R. Treadwell. Differential transport of cholesterol and oleic acid in lymph lipoproteins: sex differences in puromycin sensitivity.

Time course of lymph protein concentration in the dog

Lymph protein concentrations were measured in spontaneously flowing lymph collected from lymphatic ducts in the hind limb, forelimb, neck, and the left thoracic duct. Lymph from all ducts except the thoracic duct underwent a gradual increase in protein concentration of approximately 1 g/dl during the first 2 hr after anesthetization and remained constant during the subsequent 4 hr. After the protein concentration had increased to this high level, gentle massage of the area always caused a large increase in lymph flow and simultaneously a decrease in lymph protein concentration of approximately 1 g/dl after a flow of only 50 to 100 μl had occurred. Throughout the experiment, plasma protein concentration did not change. These data provide two separate indications that lymph protein concentration is not always identical to interstitial fluid. First, lymphatic protein concentration in a large fraction of the body increases while plasma protein concentration remains constant, which would be an impossibility if the protein concentration in the large volume of interstitial fluid increased. Second, lymphatic protein concentration following massage falls by approximately 1 g/dl when the volume and thus protein content of the interstitial fluid essentially has not changed at all.

Puromycin inhibition of cholesterol absorption in the rat

The effect of puromycin on the intestinal absorption of cholesterol has been studied in rats with indwelling catheters in the left thoracic lymphatic duct. Puromycin administration to female rats produced a marked depression of cholesterol absorption under conditions where the absorption of simultaneously administered fatty acid was also dramatically inhibited. The same treatment of male rats also produced a significant depression in cholesterol absorption, but was without effect on absorption of the fatty acid. Despite the depressions of lipid absorption in puromycin-treated animals, there was no accumlation of either cholesterol or fatty acid in the intestinal mucosa of either sex. Actinomycin D treatment of fasting male and female rats, receiving constant infusions of saline, had no effect on the rate of lymph production. This suggest that altered lymph production was not responsible for the depressed lipid absorption observed in fed animals treated with protein synthesis inhibitors. The selective inhibition of cholesterol absorption in male rats also precludes the possibility that the major effect of the inhibitor is on delayed gastric emptying.

Experimental studies on the pulmonary edema investigation with special reference to permeability of the pulmonary capillary from the standpoint of pulmonary lymphatic return.

The pulmonary lymphatic system originates from the portion around the alveolar duct and reaches the hilar area through the various lymphatic channel. The lymph flow in each lobe except the left upper lobe returns to the right jugular vein via the right thoracic duct, while the lymph flow from the left upper lobe usually returns to the left :jugular vein via the left thoracic duct. It should be reminded as a experimental condition that the some anastomoses occasionally exist between the both thoracic duct systems. In this experiment, however, the lymph flow from the right thoracic duct was regarded as the pulmonary lymph flow. The cases in which chile was mingled into the right thoracic duct and protein content exceeded over 5.0 g/dl were excluded from the materials studied. The pulmonary lymph flow from the right thoracic duct was normally minimal. By several authors, mean value of it was reported as 0.9 to 8.9 ml/hour in normal dogs. It seems that this variation is due to the individual and conditional difference In the experiments. The pulmonary lymph flow measured was within 0.16 to 1.55 ml/5 min with mean value of 0.55±0.23 ml/5 min in 23 cases of normal adult dogs. Thus, the pulmonary lymph flow is so little that it can't prevent happening of the acute pulmonary edema. It has been considered that the role of the pulmonary lymphatic system was to take up the protein molecule from the tissue space for making fall the colloid osmotic pressure and keeping the lung dry, rather than to drainage the edematous fluid. It was proved by results of experiment (1) and (2) that the pulmonary lymph flow was much affected by hemodynamic of the pulmonary circulation. Experiment (1) represented that the pulmonary capillary pressure was increased backwardly by the elevated left atrial pressure by obliterating the left atrium with balloon. This elevation of the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure caused the filtration rate of the fluid to increase through the capillary wall resulting in augumentation of intrapulmonary fluid volume followed by increment of the pulmonary lymph flow.

Plasma volume and protein restoration after hemorrhage: Role of the left thoracic duct versus transcapillary refilling

Following intravenous administration of RISA in splenectomized dogs, there is a steady semilogarithmic decline in plasma albumin specific activity. Concurrently there is a rapid rise in lymphatic albumin specific activity as assayed from left thoracic duct fistulas. A maximum value is found around 255 minutes after which the albumin specific activities in this lymph decline parallel with the ones in plasma. In animals subjected to a rapid 16% of blood volume hemorrhage 90 minutes after administration of the RISA, there is a lessened disappearance of specific activity from plasma and a decreased appearance of activity within the TDF lymph. No increase in TDF flow was found after hemorrhage and a decreased quantitiy of thoracic duct albumin was returned with time because of progressive protein dilution. It is postulated that these findings after hemorrhage are consistent with a decreased permeation or flow of albumin across the capillaries in the liver and viscera drained by the left thoracic duct. The most likely mechanism is a simple decrease in visceral perfusion of a smaller capillary area of normal permeability after hemorrhage although a decreased regional capillary permeability is possible. The net result is conservation of intravenous albumin. This effect appears to be of such a magnitude as to be a major component in the plasma albumin refilling seen after experimental hemorrhage.

Lymphatic transport of cholesterol in the human being. Effect of dietary cholesterol.

The effect of dietary cholesterol on lymphatic cholesterol transport was studied in 6 subjects cannulated in their left thoracic duct. Feeding a fatty meal increased cholesterol transport 2–3-fold over the fasting state. Addition of cholesterol to the fat fed led to no significant further increase in lymphatic cholesterol transport. The results indicate that in the intestinal tract dietary cholesterol is mixed with a relatively much larger pool of endogenous sterol that already almost saturates the absorption capacity of the intestine for cholesterol.

Composition of Human Chyle Chylomicrons following Single Fat Feedings

A meal containing a well-defined fat and a very small amount of radioactively labeled free cholesterol was fed in two consecutive studies to a male patient with cannulation of the left thoracic duct. Chyle was collected for 15 or 16 hr following the meal. Recovery of fed fat was 19–27%, and of fed cholesterol radioactivity, only 2.5–3.6%. Absorbed cholesterol traveled predominantly on the chylomicron fraction of total chyle and was present in both the free and esterified forms. Phosphatidyl choline was the predominant phospholipid of chyle chylomicrons (77 mole % of total phospholipids) followed by phosphatidyl ethanolamine (16%) and sphingomyelin (7%); lysophosphatidyl choline was not detected. The fatty acid composition of the fed fat had some influence on the fatty acid composition of chylomicron cholesterol ester but a lesser influence on the composition of chylomicron phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Chylomicron sphingomyelin was virtually unaffected by the nature of the fat fed, and the characteristic fatty acids of chain length greater than C18 were present in significant proportions.

Respiratory tract damage in burns: pathophysiology and therapy.

Summary(1) Of the 27 burn fatalities with respiratory tract involvement, this internal damage was the primary cause of death in 20 cases.(2) The edema and sodium contents in the lungs become maximal in 12 to 48 hr following the burn.(3) The surface tension in the lungs is abnormally elevated in respiratory burns and may be one of the causes of nonobstructive atelectasis.(4) The venous clotting time becomes depressed in the acute phase of respiratory burn and returns to normal in 24 hr.(5) Lymph drainage into the left thoracic duct vestibule decreases during the acute phase of the burn in the dog.(6) In the acute phase of the burn, the respiratory insufficiency is secondary to edema and to patchy atelectasis which can be reduced by automatic positive pressure respiration.(7) Infection of pulmonary and tracheobronchial tree plays a major role after 48 hr and early antibiotic coverage may help to control it.

Molecular weight dependence of lymphatic permeability: The concept of regional cancer chemotheraphy by lymphatic perfusion

Lymphatics of the dog were perfused between the hind leg and the left thoracic duct outlet with chemicals of various molecular weights. Almost three-fourths of the albumin (molecular weight 68,000) which was infused was recovered in the lymph. Approximately half of the infused inulin (molecular weight 5,000) was recovered in the lymph. Only small amounts of lower molecular weight substances (creatinine, thiotepa, 5-fluorouracil) could be recovered. The study supports the concept that the permeability of the lymphatics depends to an appreciable extent on molecular weight. In a second group of 10 dogs both thoracic ducts were ligated for 1 to 4 weeks, after which the left thoracic duct was cannulated and the albumin infusion performed. In this group more than half of the albumin appeared in the plasma of 6 of the dogs, indicating the probable development of major lymphatico-venous shunts. A similar result was obtained in one human. The studies suggest that any substance with a therapeutic usefulness dependent upon its remaining within the lymphatic vessels can only be used in an unobstructed lymphatic system and must be of a large molecular weight. Conversely, it is unlikely that measurement of the content of any small molecular weight substance in the lymph can be interpreted as indicative of the content of lymph in any other part of the body.

Studies on the insulin-like activity of serum. 3. The influence of the pancreas on the insulin-like activity of serum.

ABSTRACT The influence of the pancreas on the insulin-like activity of serum from dogs and cats was studied under various conditions. In dogs a plastic catheter was inserted into the pancreatic vein, allowing of the determination of blood flow through the catheter and collection of blood samples. After the administration of glucose, an immediate increase in the ILA of serum from the pancreatic vein was observed; the increase in ILA of the serum from the femoral artery was not significant until 10 minutes after the start of the infusion. A smaller, but more sustained increase in ILA of serum from the pancreatic vein was observed after the administration of sulphonurea; subsequent injection of glucose increased the liberation of ILA from the pancreas more than administration of glucose or sulphonurea alone. No change was noted in that part of the ILA of serum, which is unaffected by anti-insulin serum, before and after glucose administration. When pancreatic tissue from rats was incubated in medium containing glucose, a significant liberation of ILA into the medium was observed (as compared with pancreatic tissue incubated without glucose). Lymph, collected from the left thoracic duct of dogs, always contained significantly smaller amounts of ILA than serum. After glucose administration a significant increase in the ILA of lymph and serum was observed. Muscular exercise, produced by electrical stimulation of the hind limbs of intact cats, did not affect the ILA of serum from the femoral vein, as compared with the values obtained from the same vein before stimulation, and estimated by the adipose tissue and the rat diaphragm bioassay. The values of ILA in sera from normal cats were not different from those in sera from normal human subjects. Moreover, the values of ILA in serum protein fractions from normal cats, obtained in starch block electrophoresis with subsequent dialysis against 1 mm CaCl2, corresponded closely to those found in the same fractions from normal human subjects, estimated by the adipose tissue and by the rat diaphragm bioassay. A significant decrease in ILA of serum from pancreatectomized cats was noted 7 days after pancreatectomy. When serum from pancreatectomized cats was fractionated in starch block electrophoresis and treated with a standard procedure of dialysis, and then related to the ILA in the same protein fractions from normal cats, the decrease in ILA in the albumin-alpha-one globulin fraction corresponded to a half-life of 3 days; the decrease in ILA in the alpha-two globulin was in agreement with a half-life of 5 days; moreover the decrease with beta-two-gamma globulin fraction showed a half-life of 6 days. Serum, obtained from cats 4 to 10 days after pancreatectomy, significantly inhibited the activity of added insulin, measured by the adipose tissue as well as by the rat diaphragm bioassay. When serum was obtained from cats more than 10 days after pancreatectomy, the activity of insulin added to the serum was quantitatively recovered. Lipids, like aceto-acetate, free fatty acids or triglycerides, did not interfere with the glucose metabolism of the rat diaphragm or adipose tissue either in the absence or presence of insulin. Ethyl aceto-acetate was incidentally observed to depress markedly the glucose metabolism of the isolated adipose tissue and rat diaphragm and to abolish completely the effect of insulin in these tissues.

Experimental thoracic duct shunt.

ArticleExperimental thoracic duct shunt.K C Cochrum, J T Okimoto, and J S NajarianK C Cochrum, J T Okimoto, and J S NajarianPublished Online:01 Feb 1968https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1968.24.2.247MoreSectionsPDF (665 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInWeChat "Experimental thoracic duct shunt.." Journal of Applied Physiology, 24(2), pp. 247–248 Previous Back to Top Next Download PDF FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation Cited ByPermanent Implantation of Arterial and Venous Catheters and Lymphatic ShuntsJournal of Dairy Science, Vol. 55, No. 8Plasma volume and protein restoration after hemorrhage: Role of the left thoracic duct versus transcapillary refillingJournal of Surgical Research, Vol. 12, No. 3Preparation of Thoracic and Intestinal Lymph Duct Shunts in CalvesJournal of Dairy Science, Vol. 53, No. 9Mycoplasma Inhibition of Phytohemagglutinin Stimulation of LymphocytesScience, Vol. 161, No. 3846 More from this issue > Volume 24Issue 2February 1968Pages 247-8 https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1968.24.2.247PubMed5637689History Published online 1 February 1968 Published in print 1 February 1968 Metrics

LIPID STUDIES ON HUMAN LYMPH AND CHYLE.

ALTHOUGH investigation of chyle and lymph has been extensive in animals, there are few reports on humans because of the difficulty in obtaining samples. Studies of individual patients with chylothorax, chylous ascites, and chyluria are valuable but subject to inaccuracy. Recently, a few series of human thoracic duct cannulations have been reported. The authors investigated lipid findings on specimens obtained by cannulation. Material and Methods Specimens were obtained by cannulation of the right main lymphatic duct and the left thoracic duct during bilateral scalene node biopsy. In general, satisfactory flow was achieved from the left duct in 60% of the subjects and from the right in 30%.1There were 32 patients with satisfactory left duct flow in this study and five of these also had flow from the right duct. Prior to operation most patients were given 6 oz (177.4 ml) of a cream mixture containing 11% fat, 99.9%

Effects of hemorrhagic shock on vascular permeability to red blood cells.

The lymph collected from the left thoracic lymph duct of dogs in severe shock due to blood loss becomes grossly hemorrhagic. Reversible hemorrhagic shock is not accompanied by changes in lymph appearance or content of red blood cells. The increased levels of red cells in the lymph was observed prior to the appearance of the characteristic gross intestinal and peritoneal hemorrhages.

Effects of soybean phosphatides on the hemorrhagic tendency due to thrombocytopenia.

Intravenous administration of a soybean phosphatide preparation to x- irradiated, thrombocytopenic dogs was followed by rapid reduction of bleeding into the lymph of the left thoracic lymph duct. The maximal effects of a single infusion lasted 2 to 3 hours, but could be maintained or induced again by subsequent infusions. Complete return of the lymph to norraal appearance and content of red blood cells was observed in some of the animals. The prolonged bleeding time was not affected. (auth)