Factors in intestinal lymph after shock increase neutrophil adhesion molecule expression and pulmonary leukosequestration.

Background: Because the ischemic gut may produce factors that initiate systemic inflammation, we tested the hypothesis that factors released from the gut into the mesenteric lymphatics increase neutrophil (PMN) adhesion molecule expression after trauma and shock.

Methods: At 1 and 4 hours after hemorrhagic shock (30 mm Hg x 90 minutes) plus trauma (laparotomy) (T/HS) or sham-shock (T/SS), with or without mesenteric lymph duct ligation, PMN CD11b and CD18 expression was assessed in male rats. In additional rats, mesenteric lymph samples were tested for their ability to increase PMN CD11b expression in vitro.

Gut injury and gut-induced lung injury after trauma hemorrhagic shock is gender and estrus cycle specific in the rat.

Background: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that trauma-hemorrhagic shock (T/HS)-induced gut and lung injury is modulated by gender and the stage of the estrus cycle at the time of injury.

Methods: We compared the incidence and magnitude of gut and lung injury in male and female rats subjected to a laparotomy (trauma) followed by 90 minutes of shock (mean arterial pressure, 30 mm Hg) (T/HS) or sham shock.

Results: Lung injury and pulmonary neutrophil sequestration as well as gut injury were increased after T/HS in the diestrus female and the male rats, but not in the estrus or proestrus female rats.