Posthemorrhagic shock mesenteric lymph primes circulating neutrophils and provokes lung injury.

Mesenteric lymph has recently been invoked as an avenue for gut-derived factors that may result in distant organ injury following hemorrhagic shock. We demonstrate that posthemorrhagic shock mesenteric lymph primes neutrophils (PMNs) and causes lung injury. Methods. Mesenteric lymph was collected from Sprague-Dawley rats from their mesenteric lymph duct prior to, during, and following hemorrhagic shock (MAP 40 for 90 min). The rats were then resuscitated with shed blood plus lactated Ringers (2X shed blood) over 3 h. Lung leak was assessed by transudation of Evan's blue dye into the alveolus as measured by bronchoalveolar lavage. Isolated human PMNs were incubated with 1 and 10% lymph; priming was measured by the fMLP (1 microM)-stimulated production of superoxide and surface expression of CD11b determined by flow cytometry. Results. Mesenteric lymph flow increased significantly during resuscitation: preshock 144.4 microl/h, shock 44.5 microl/h, resuscitation 566.6 microl/h. Furthermore, diversion of this lymph abrogated lung injury as compared to rats without lymph diversion. Finally, mesenteric lymph from postshock animals primed PMNs for superoxide production (nearly three times control cells) as well as increased surface expression of CD11b (2-fold over control). Conclusion. Mesenteric lymph primes PMNs and causes lung injury following hemorrhagic shock. Mesenteric lymph provides a conduit for proinflammatory mediators that may participate in the pathogenesis of MOF. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.