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Hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline enhance survival, reducing apoptosis and oxidative stress in a rat model of strangulated closed loop small bowel obstruction

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Intestinal obstruction has a high mortality rate when therapeutic treatment is delayed. Resuscitation in intestinal obstruction requires a large volume of fluid, and fluid combinations have been studied. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of hypertonic saline solution (HS) with pentoxifylline (PTX) on apoptosis, oxidative stress and survival rate.

METHODS:

Wistar rats were subjected to intestinal obstruction and ischemia through a closed loop ligation of the terminal ileum and its vessels. After 24 hours, the necrotic bowel segment was resected, and the animals were randomized into four groups according to the following resuscitation strategies: Ringer's lactate solution (RL) (RL-32 ml/kg); RL+PTX (25 mg/kg); HS+PTX (HS, 7.5%, 4 ml/kg), and no resuscitation (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia). Euthanasia was performed 3 hours after resuscitation to obtain kidney and intestine samples. A malondialdehyde (MDA) assay was performed to evaluate oxidative stress, and histochemical analyses (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling [TUNEL], Bcl-2 and Bax) were conducted to evaluate kidney apoptosis. Survival was analyzed with another series of animals that were observed for 15 days.

RESULTS:

PTX in combination with RL or HS reduced the MDA levels (nmol/mg of protein), as follows: kidney IO=0.42; RL=0.49; RL+PTX=0.31; HS+PTX=0.34 (p<0.05); intestine: IO=0.42; RL=0.48; RL+PTX=0.29; HS+PTX=0.26 (p<0.05). The number of labeled cells for TUNEL and Bax was lower in the HS+PTX group than in the other groups (p<0.05). The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was lower in the HS+PTX group than in the other groups (p<0.05). The survival rate on the 15th day was higher in the HS+PTX group (77%) than in the RL+PTX group (11%).

CONCLUSION:

PTX in combination with HS enhanced survival and attenuated oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, when combined with RL, PTX did not reduce apoptosis or mortality.

Apoptosis; Hypertonic Saline; Intestinal Obstruction; Oxidative Stress; Pentoxifylline


INTRODUCTION

Intestinal obstruction is a prevalent condition and accounts for 16% of surgeries in the emergency department. Morbidity and mortality are high in the presence of intestinal necrosis (11. Maung AA, Johnson DC, Piper GL, Barbosa RR, Rowell SE, Bokhari F, et al. Evaluation and management of small-bowel obstruction: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;73(5 Suppl 4):S362-9, https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e31827019de.
https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e3182701...
). Inflammation after intestinal cell death involves alterations in the absorption and secretion of liquids in the obstructed intestine and leads to a great loss of fluids. Increases in intraluminal content determine visceral distension and tissue perfusion impairment and are associated with altered permeability of the intestinal mucosa (22. Nellgard P, Cassuto J. Inflammation as a major cause of fluid losses in small-bowel obstruction. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1993;28(12):1035-41, https://doi.org/10.3109/00365529309098305.
https://doi.org/10.3109/0036552930909830...
). This condition contributes to bacterial translocation, which is considered an important factor in the pathogenesis of sepsis (33. Deitch EA. Gut-origin sepsis: Evolution of a concept. Surgeon. 2012;10(6):350-6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03.003.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03....

4. Zanoni FL, Benabou S, Greco KV, Moreno AC, Cruz JW, Filgueira FP, et al. Mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunctions and translocation of indigenous bacteria in a rat model of strangulated small bowel obstruction. Clinics. 2009;64(9):911-9, https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-59322009000900013.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-5932200900...
-55. Luiz Zanoni F, Costa Cruz JW, Martins JO, Benabou S, Vicente Greco K, Ramos Moreno AC, et al. Hypertonic saline solution reduces mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunctions and bacterial translocation in a rat model of strangulated small bowel obstruction. Shock. 2013;40(1):35-44, https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e318299d3fa.
https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e318299...
).

Experimental models of intestinal obstruction have been studied to understand the physiopathology of systemic failure and provide advances in research to develop strategies for avoiding or attenuating this critical damage (33. Deitch EA. Gut-origin sepsis: Evolution of a concept. Surgeon. 2012;10(6):350-6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03.003.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03....
,44. Zanoni FL, Benabou S, Greco KV, Moreno AC, Cruz JW, Filgueira FP, et al. Mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunctions and translocation of indigenous bacteria in a rat model of strangulated small bowel obstruction. Clinics. 2009;64(9):911-9, https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-59322009000900013.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-5932200900...
).

In intestinal obstruction, hypovolemia and sepsis can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) and increased mortality. The main mechanisms that explain acute renal injury in sepsis include microvascular dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammatory and immune responses, cellular hypoxia and apoptosis (66. Bagshaw SM, Uchino S, Bellomo R, Morimatsu H, Morgera S, Schetz M, et al. Septic acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: clinical characteristics and outcomes. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;2(3):431-9, https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.03681106.
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,77. Zarbock A, Gomez H, Kellum JA. Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury revisited: pathophysiology, prevention and future therapies. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2014;20(6):588-95, https://doi.org/10.1097/MCC.0000000000000153.
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). The management of abdominal sepsis in complicated intestinal obstructions involves fluid resuscitation, early use of antibiotics and removal of ischemic small bowel (11. Maung AA, Johnson DC, Piper GL, Barbosa RR, Rowell SE, Bokhari F, et al. Evaluation and management of small-bowel obstruction: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;73(5 Suppl 4):S362-9, https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e31827019de.
https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e3182701...
). Stabilization of the hemodynamic framework requires the use of large amounts of fluid; however, the excessive administration of fluids generates extravasation into the interstitium and can have deleterious repercussions (88. Rhodes A, Evans LE, Alhazzani W, Levy MM, Antonelli M, Ferrer R, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016. Intensive Care Med. 2017;43(3):304-77, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4683-6.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4683-...
). Ringer's lactate (RL) is the most widely used crystalloid solution for volemic resuscitation, despite the fact that it can activate the inflammatory response (99. Deb S, Martin B, Sun L, Ruff P, Burris D, Rich N, et al. Resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution in rats with hemorrhagic shock induces immediate apoptosis. J Trauma. 1999;46(4):582-8; discussion 588-9, https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199904000-00005.
https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-1999040...

10. Savage SA, Fitzpatrick CM, Kashyap VS, Clouse MWD, Kerby JD. Endothelial dysfunction after lactated Ringer's solution resuscitation for hemorrhagic shock. J Trauma. 2005;59(2):284-90, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000179453.89769.1c.
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).

Strategies to attenuate the inflammatory response during volume resuscitation have been studied and have mainly evaluated fluids used with or without added drugs. Hypertonic saline solution (HS) is attractive because it can modulate the immune and inflammatory response (1212. Theobaldo MC, Barbeiro HV, Barbeiro DF, Petroni R, Soriano FG. Hypertonic saline solution reduces the inflammatory response in endotoxemic rats. Clinics. 2012;67(12):1463-8, https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(12)18.
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13. Petroni RC, Biselli PJ, de Lima TM, Theobaldo MC, Caldini ET, Pimentel RN, et al. Hypertonic saline (NaCl 7.5%) reduces LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats. Inflammation. 2015;38(6):2026-35, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-015-0183-4.
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14. Poli-de-Figueiredo LF, Cruz RJ Jr, Sannomiya P, Rocha-E-Silva M. Mechanisms of action of hypertonic saline resuscitation in severe sepsis and septic shock. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2006;6(2):201-6, https://doi.org/10.2174/187153006777442305.
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-1515. Shih CC, Tsai MF, Chen SJ, Tsao CM, Ka SM, Huang HC, et al. Effects of small-volume hypertonic saline on acid-base and electrolytes balance in rats with peritonitis-induced sepsis. Shock. 2012;38(6):649-55, https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e31826fef13.
https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e31826f...
). Among the medications used with fluids, pentoxifylline (PTX) is a drug derived from methylxanthine that modifies the shape of erythrocytes, improves blood flow in the microcirculation, and decreases inflammation (1616. Nakagawa NK, Cruz RJ Jr, Aikawa P, Correia CJ, Cruz JW, Mauad T, et al. Pentoxifylline attenuates leukocyte-endothelial interactions in a two-hit model of shock and sepsis. J Surg Res. 2015;193(1):421-8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.07.034.
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17. Coimbra R, Melbostad H, Loomis W, Tobar M, Hoyt DB. Phosphodiesterase inhibition decreases nuclear factor-kappa B activation and shifts the cytokine response toward anti-inflammatory activity in acute endotoxemia. J Trauma. 2005;59(3):575-82, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000177787.48608.b6.
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-1818. Michetti C, Coimbra R, Hoyt DB, Loomis W, Junger W, Wolf P. Pentoxifylline reduces acute lung injury in chronic endotoxemia. J Surg Res. 2003;115(1):92-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4804(03)00219-1.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4804(03)00...
).

Coimbra et al. (1919. Coimbra R, Loomis W, Melbostad H, Tobar M, Porcides RD, Lall R, et al. Role of hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline on neutrophil activation and tumor necrosis factor-alpha synthesis: a novel resuscitation strategy. J Trauma. 2005;59(2):257-64, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000174678.12523.9f.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000174678...
) studied the association of HS with PTX in toxin-stimulated blood cells and observed inhibition of neutrophil activation. Kim and Lee (2020. Kim HJ, Lee KH. The effectiveness of hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline (HTS-PTX) resuscitation in haemorrhagic shock and sepsis tissue injury: comparison with LR, HES, and LR-PTX treatments. Injury. 2012;43(8):1271-6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2012.02.005.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2012.02...
) previously reported the effects of the same treatment strategy in rats submitted to endotracheal injection of lipopolysaccharide and demonstrated lower production of proinflammatory cytokines. In our laboratory, in a rat model of intestinal obstruction, a reduction in NF-kB and inflammatory cytokines was observed after the administration of HS with PTX (2121. Rasslan R, Utiyama EM, Marques GM, Ferreira TC, da Costa VA, de Victo NC, et al. Inflammatory activity modulation by hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline in a rat model of strangulated closed loop small bowel obstruction. Int J Surg. 2014;12(6):594-600, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.007.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.0...
).

Although resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock and sepsis is highlighted in the literature, there are few studies that analyze the effects and consequences of resuscitation in complicated intestinal obstruction. Because bacterial translocation and hypovolemia are the main causes of organic dysfunction in intestinal obstruction, it was decided to evaluate the effects of HS with PTX on apoptosis, oxidative stress and survival in an experimental model of strangulated intestinal obstruction in rats.

METHODS

The Ethics Committee of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo approved this study. The experiment was carried out at the Laboratory of Surgical Physiology (LIM-62) of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo. All animals were handled according to international protocols for the care, management and use of laboratory animals.

Sixty-four male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were purchased from the institutional animal house. Before and after the experiment, the animals were maintained in an environment controlled for temperature (23°C), humidity and exposure to artificial light (with a light-dark cycle of twelve hours) and had free access to food and water.

Experimental protocol

Anesthesia was performed using ketamine (50 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg), and then, the rats were submitted to a 3 cm median laparotomy. A rat model of intestinal obstruction was made in a closed loop by ligation of the terminal ileum at 10 cm and 1.5 cm from the ileocecal valve with 4-0 silk thread, and the vessels of this intestinal segment were occluded. Closure of the abdominal cavity was performed with 4-0 nylon sutures, as previously described (2121. Rasslan R, Utiyama EM, Marques GM, Ferreira TC, da Costa VA, de Victo NC, et al. Inflammatory activity modulation by hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline in a rat model of strangulated closed loop small bowel obstruction. Int J Surg. 2014;12(6):594-600, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.007.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.0...
).

After 24 hours of surgical trauma, the rats were submitted to a cervicotomy with cannulation of the jugular vein for volume resuscitation under anesthesia. Afterwards, the animals were randomized into four groups based on the resuscitation strategy. There were eight rats per group in each of the following groups: no resuscitation (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia); RL (32 ml/kg); RL (32 ml/kg) plus PTX (25 mg/kg); and HS (4 ml/kg) plus PTX (25 mg/kg). We used 32 ml/kg of Ringer’s lactate solution (RL) and 4 ml of HS based on the Na+ concentration (2121. Rasslan R, Utiyama EM, Marques GM, Ferreira TC, da Costa VA, de Victo NC, et al. Inflammatory activity modulation by hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline in a rat model of strangulated closed loop small bowel obstruction. Int J Surg. 2014;12(6):594-600, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.007.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.0...
).

Immediately after resuscitation, the rats underwent a second laparotomy for resection of the ischemic intestinal segment, followed by anastomosis with 6-0 polypropylene sutures and then closure of the abdominal cavity with 4-0 nylon. Euthanasia was performed 3 hours after resuscitation, and samples of intestine and kidney were collected for MDA quantification. We performed Bax, Bcl-2 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) analyses on the kidney samples.

Another series of 8 animals per group underwent surgery following the same protocols. These animals were used to evaluate survival after resuscitation and were euthanized at the 15th postoperative day.

Malondialdehyde assay

Intestinal and kidney tissues were processed to evaluate lipid peroxidation using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method, as previously described (2222. Moreira MA, Irigoyen MC, Saad KR, Saad PF, Koike MK, Montero EF, et al. N-acetylcysteine reduces the renal oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by hemorrhagic shock. J Surg Res. 2016;203(1):113-20, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2016.02.020.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2016.02.02...
), expressed as nmol/mg protein.

Apoptosis

We studied 4 μm thick renal tissue sections for the TUNEL, Bax and Bcl-2 assays. The slides were placed on silanized slides (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri, USA) with suitable support. The dewaxing process was performed with warm xylol at a temperature of approximately 65°C for 10 minutes, and afterward, three cold xylol baths were used. The slides were washed in decreasing concentrations of absolute alcohol (95% and 70%) for hydration.

The slides were washed in water and deionized water and then preserved in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer (Synth®, São Paulo, Brazil). Proteinase K was used for 30 minutes for the recovery of the antigenic sites. Endogenous peroxidase blockade was made with 10% hydrogen peroxide in methanol for 30 minutes at room temperature and then washed with water, distilled water and pH 7.4 phosphate buffer.

The slides were incubated with 50 μl of the TUNEL assay reaction solution (5 μl of enzyme solution + 45 μl of buffer) per sample in a humid chamber at 37°C for 60 minutes. Afterward, the slides were washed in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution and incubated in a humidity chamber at 37°C for 30 minutes with 50 μl of the peroxidase converter. Subsequently, three baths in the buffer solution were performed. Staining was performed with diaminobenzidine, and counterstaining was performed with methyl green.

Recovery of the antigenic sites for evaluating Bax and Bcl-2 was performed using a solution of 10 mM citric acid and pH 6.0 in a humid bath under pressure at 125°C for one minute (Pascal®, DakoCytomation, Model: 2800, USA). The slides were incubated with the specific primary antibodies (anti-Bax and anti-Bcl-2) diluted in 1% bovine serum albumin for 24 hours at 4°C. Subsequently, they were incubated with the secondary antibody (Novolink Polymer, Leica Biosystems) and stained with diaminobenzidine (Sigma-Aldrich Chemie, Steinheim, Germany) and Harris hematoxylin (Merck®, Darmstadt, Germany).

The analysis of the slides prepared with the TUNEL, Bax and Bcl-2 reactions was performed blindly with optical microscopy, and 10 fields with a 40-fold increase were evaluated. The fields were photographed, and the labeled cells were counted as apoptotic events.

The Bax/Bcl-2 index was calculated by dividing the values obtained by counting in pairs, and it represents the relationship between the anti- and proapoptotic components present in the renal cells of each of the animals studied.

Statistical analysis

Altman’s nomogram was used to calculate the sample size, considering 80% as the level of statistical power and a p-value of 0.05.

Data are expressed as the median. Data analysis was performed with ANOVA on ranks and a post hoc test, when indicated (Student-Newman-Keuls test), using GraphPad Prism (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA).

RESULTS

MDA levels

Lipid peroxidation was attenuated by PTX when used with RL or HS (kidney: IO=0.42; RL=0.49; RL+PTX=0.31; HS+PTX=0.34; intestine: IO=0.42; RL=0.48; RL+PTX=0.29; HS+PTX=0.26; expressed as nmol/mg of protein). MDA levels in the RL+PTX and HS+PTX groups were similar in both organs. There was no difference between IO vs. RL in both organs (Figure 1).

Apoptosis

In the TUNEL assay, animals treated with HS+PTX showed decreased apoptosis compared to that in the other groups. In addition, PTX reduced apoptosis when used in combination with RL compared to when RL was used alone; moreover, compared with IO, RL alone was associated with increased apoptosis (Figure 2 and Figure 3a). Bax expression was also reduced by the combined use of HS+PTX compared with its expression in the other groups. However, Bax expression was increased when PTX was used in combination with RL. Compared to IO, the resuscitation strategy using RL was associated with decreased Bax levels (Figure 3b). Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic protein, demonstrated higher expression in IO than in any of the treated groups, which all showed similar expression of Bcl-2 (Figure 3c). The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio is illustrated in Figure 3d.

Figure 1
MDA concentrations (nmol/mg of protein) in the intestine (a) and kidney (b). Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: no resuscitation (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia), Ringer's lactate (RL), Ringer's lactate+pentoxifylline (RL+PTX), and hypertonic saline+pentoxifylline (HS+PTX). Data are expressed as the medians (interquartile range). (p<0.05) *versus IO; **versus RL; #versus RL+PTX.
Figure 2
Photomicrography showing apoptosis in the kidney labeled by immunohistochemical staining (TUNEL; x 200). A. no resuscitation group (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia) B. Ringer's lactate group (RL) C. Ringer's lactate+pentoxifylline group (RL+PTX) D. Hypertonic saline+pentoxifylline group (HS+PTX).
Figure 3
Expression of apoptosis in the kidney by immunohistochemical staining (positive cells/visual field): TUNEL (a), Bax (b), Bcl-2 (c), Bax/Bcl-2 (d). Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: no resuscitation (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia), Ringer's lactate (RL), Ringer's lactate + pentoxifylline (RL+PTX), and hypertonic saline+pentoxifylline (HS+PTX). The data are expressed as the medians (interquartile range). (p<0.05) *versus IO; **versus RL; #versus RL+PTX.
Figure 4
Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of animals. Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: no resuscitation (IO-intestinal obstruction and ischemia), Ringer's lactate (RL), Ringer's lactate+pentoxifylline (RL+PTX), and hypertonic saline+pentoxifylline (HS+PTX). Rats were observed for 15 days. (p<0.05) *versus IO; **versus RL; #versus RL+PTX.

Survival rates

Survival rates reached 77% in the HS+PTX group 15 days after the treatment. When used with RL, PTX did not affect survival compared with that of other groups (survival rate: up to 24 h—RL= 28%; RL+PTX= 31%; up to 15 days—RL=0%; RL+PTX=11%) (Figure 4).

DISCUSSION

Resuscitation with HS and PTX caused a decrease in renal apoptosis and oxidative stress in the kidney and intestine. In addition, this therapeutic strategy resulted in increased survival during the treatment of abdominal sepsis. However, PTX with RL did not reverse the deleterious effects of RL.

Intestinal obstruction generates an intense inflammatory process that leads to an imbalance in the secretion of fluids, culminating in the loss of liquids and alterations in electrolytes (22. Nellgard P, Cassuto J. Inflammation as a major cause of fluid losses in small-bowel obstruction. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1993;28(12):1035-41, https://doi.org/10.3109/00365529309098305.
https://doi.org/10.3109/0036552930909830...
). As assessed by other researchers, bacterial translocation is also a consequence of intestinal obstruction and may be the cause of sepsis in this condition (33. Deitch EA. Gut-origin sepsis: Evolution of a concept. Surgeon. 2012;10(6):350-6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03.003.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2012.03....
,55. Luiz Zanoni F, Costa Cruz JW, Martins JO, Benabou S, Vicente Greco K, Ramos Moreno AC, et al. Hypertonic saline solution reduces mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunctions and bacterial translocation in a rat model of strangulated small bowel obstruction. Shock. 2013;40(1):35-44, https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e318299d3fa.
https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e318299...
,2323. Deitch EA. Simple intestinal obstruction causes bacterial translocation in man. Arch Surg. 1989;124(6):699-701, https://doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.1989.01410060065013.
https://doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.1989.01...
). Moreover, intestinal involvement in sepsis involves the release of inflammatory factors that promote local and systemic lesions. Over the 24-hour period of intestinal obstruction and ischemia in this model, there was an increased inflammatory response and hemodynamic changes that implied a decrease in renal perfusion pressure (44. Zanoni FL, Benabou S, Greco KV, Moreno AC, Cruz JW, Filgueira FP, et al. Mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunctions and translocation of indigenous bacteria in a rat model of strangulated small bowel obstruction. Clinics. 2009;64(9):911-9, https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-59322009000900013.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-5932200900...
).

In a model of intestinal obstruction in pigs, Fevang et al. (2424. Fevang J, Ovrebo K, Grong K, Svanes K. Fluid resuscitation improves intestinal blood flow and reduces the mucosal damage associated with strangulation obstruction in pigs. J Surg Res. 2004;117(2):187-94, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4804(03)00038-6.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4804(03)00...
) demonstrated that resuscitation with large volumes of fluids leads to an improvement in intestinal blood flow and less mucosal damage. However, it should be emphasized that excessive use of fluids in resuscitation predisposes patients to the occurrence of abdominal compartment syndrome and to a longer period of adynamic ileus (2525. Radhakrishnan RS, Xue H, Moore-Olufemi SD, Weisbrodt NW, Moore FA, Allen SJ, et al. Hypertonic saline resuscitation prevents hydrostatically induced intestinal edema and ileus. Crit Care Med. 2006;34(6):1713-8, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.CCM.0000218811.39686.3D.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.CCM.000021881...
,2626. Moore-Olufemi SD, Xue H, Attuwaybi BO, Fischer U, Harari Y, Oliver DH, et al. Resuscitation-induced gut edema and intestinal dysfunction. J Trauma. 2005;58(2):264-70, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.TA.0000133571.64393.D2.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.TA.0000133571...
). In the present study, the large volume of RL was bypassed by the use of HS in a volume eight times smaller.

Intestinal obstruction associated with ischemia causes damage that is aggravated by the correction of fluid volume. Damage to the mitochondrial membranes, endoplasmic reticulum or DNA triggers a complex process of production and release of proteins related to cell death, such as Bax (a proapoptotic protein) and Bcl-2 (an antiapoptotic protein). Bcl-2 combines with Bax or its binding sites in an attempt to disrupt the apoptotic cascade. When this balance is overcome by mechanisms of cell injury, particularly due to the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Bax production increases, causing the release and activation of caspases and NF-kB and initiating the cell death process (2727. Korsmeyer SJ, Shutter JR, Veis DJ, Merry DE, Oltvai ZN. Bcl-2/Bax: a rheostat that regulates an anti-oxidant pathway and cell death. Semin Cancer Biol. 1993;4(6):327-32.). Previous studies have shown that ischemia and reperfusion injury, hemorrhagic shock and sepsis are associated with increased cell death, either by necrosis or apoptosis (99. Deb S, Martin B, Sun L, Ruff P, Burris D, Rich N, et al. Resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution in rats with hemorrhagic shock induces immediate apoptosis. J Trauma. 1999;46(4):582-8; discussion 588-9, https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199904000-00005.
https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-1999040...
,2828. Hotchkiss RS, Opal S. Immunotherapy for sepsis--a new approach against an ancient foe. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(1):87-9, https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcibr1004371.
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcibr1004371...
,2929. Marques GM, Rasslan R, Belon AR, Carvalho JG, Felice Neto R, Rasslan S, et al. Pentoxifylline associated to hypertonic saline solution attenuates inflammatory process and apoptosis after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats. Acta Cir Bras. 2014;29(11):735-41, https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-86502014001800007.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-8650201400...
).

Some studies have reported controversial results with regard to the occurrence of apoptosis after different resuscitation strategies using RL and HS. Deb et al. (99. Deb S, Martin B, Sun L, Ruff P, Burris D, Rich N, et al. Resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution in rats with hemorrhagic shock induces immediate apoptosis. J Trauma. 1999;46(4):582-8; discussion 588-9, https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199904000-00005.
https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-1999040...
) demonstrated that volume resuscitation with RL in hemorrhagic shock leads to an increase in apoptosis, in contrast with SH, which does not alter the occurrence of apoptosis. In a hemorrhagic shock model in pigs, Rehberg et al. (3030. Rehberg SC, Raum MR, Rammelt S, Schneiders W, Neugebauer EA. Impact of fluid therapy on apoptosis and organ injury during haemorrhagic shock in an oxygen-debt-controlled pig model. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2013;39(4):405-14, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-013-0279-1.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-013-0279-...
) observed a similar occurrence of apoptosis regardless of the type of solution used (RL or HS). In a burn model, Chen et al. (3131. Chen LW, Su MT, Chen PH, Liu WC, Hsu CM. Hypertonic saline enhances host defense and reduces apoptosis in burn mice by increasing toll-like receptors. Shock. 2011;35(1):59-66, https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e3181e86f10.
https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0b013e3181e8...
) observed that HS reduced apoptosis and bacterial translocation. In the current study, the use of HS and PTX in combination (compared to RL alone) decreased the production of Bax, and based on the TUNEL analysis, this strategy downregulated apoptosis. It is interesting to observe that the IO group had higher values of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, even surpassing the values of the HS+PTX group. However, Bax expression was also high and resulted in an increase in apoptosis. Therefore, the levels of Bax and Bcl-2 should be evaluated together, since the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio indicates the dynamics of apoptotic proteins (2727. Korsmeyer SJ, Shutter JR, Veis DJ, Merry DE, Oltvai ZN. Bcl-2/Bax: a rheostat that regulates an anti-oxidant pathway and cell death. Semin Cancer Biol. 1993;4(6):327-32.). When analyzing this relationship in the kidney tissues, the HS with PTX group had a lower Bax/Bcl-2 ratio than that of the other groups.

Lipid peroxidation compromises the mechanisms of ionic exchange of the plasmatic membrane, leading to cell death (3232. Grune T, Berger MM. Markers of oxidative stress in ICU clinical settings: present and future. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2007;10(6):712-7, https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282f0c97c.
https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282f0...
). In the current study, there was increased lipid peroxidation in intestinal obstruction. The worsening of apoptosis with the use of RL as part of the resuscitation strategy was also accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation. In this model, in which the resuscitation and the surgery were delayed, the hypertonic solution used in combination with PTX led to a decrease in lipid peroxidation, apoptosis and mortality.

In a model of hemorrhagic shock with sepsis, it was observed that when PTX was administered with either RL or HS prior to cecal puncture, pulmonary inflammation was attenuated (1616. Nakagawa NK, Cruz RJ Jr, Aikawa P, Correia CJ, Cruz JW, Mauad T, et al. Pentoxifylline attenuates leukocyte-endothelial interactions in a two-hit model of shock and sepsis. J Surg Res. 2015;193(1):421-8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.07.034.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.07.03...
). Therefore, it was assumed that the same would occur in a model of intestinal obstruction and ischemia. However, PTX did not attenuate the proapoptotic effects of RL in this model. Perhaps this finding is due to the delayed treatment; in our model, we tried to reproduce what occurs in clinical practice when the patient arrives at the hospital with a certain time having already elapsed from the beginning of the insult. Corroborating the relevance of the timing of the therapeutic approach, Petroni et al. (1313. Petroni RC, Biselli PJ, de Lima TM, Theobaldo MC, Caldini ET, Pimentel RN, et al. Hypertonic saline (NaCl 7.5%) reduces LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats. Inflammation. 2015;38(6):2026-35, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-015-0183-4.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-015-0183-...
) found that the beneficial effects of HS in a sepsis model were related to early treatment. These authors demonstrated that when the resuscitation was delayed, both HS and RL increased mortality and inflammation.

We believe that it is essential to evaluate these strategies and their effects on oxidative stress and apoptosis with less aggressive insults and at earlier timepoints after treatment. The main limitation of our experimental protocol was that the 24-hour period after intestinal resection without resuscitation reflected a late phase of the injury and induced a 100% mortality rate. Depending on the timing of the intervention, the systemic inflammatory process that has already been established may not be reversed. Furthermore, the early analysis following treatment did not allow evaluation of the consequences of resuscitation. However, we evaluated the survival rates, which indirectly reflect the inflammatory response. Another criticism of the method is the absence of a group receiving HS without PTX. It may be questioned that the beneficial effects of the treatment are only due to the hypertonic solution. Actually, this question should be raised; however, our laboratory has already demonstrated that HS alone has positive effects in the treatment of complicated intestinal obstruction but that when associated with PTX, a synergistic effect is demonstrated (2121. Rasslan R, Utiyama EM, Marques GM, Ferreira TC, da Costa VA, de Victo NC, et al. Inflammatory activity modulation by hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline in a rat model of strangulated closed loop small bowel obstruction. Int J Surg. 2014;12(6):594-600, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.007.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.04.0...
). In the same way, this effect has already been shown by other authors in a model of hemorrhagic shock (3333. Cruz RJ Jr, Yada-Langui MM, de Figueiredo LF, Sinosaki S, Rocha e Silva M. The synergistic effects of pentoxifylline on systemic and regional perfusion after hemorrhage and hypertonic resuscitation. Anesth Analg. 2006;102(5):1518-24, https://doi.org/10.1213/01.ane.0000204255.35494.f2.
https://doi.org/10.1213/01.ane.000020425...
,3434. Deree J, Melbostad H, Loomis WH, Putnam JG, Coimbra R. The effects of a novel resuscitation strategy combining pentoxifylline and hypertonic saline on neutrophil MAPK signaling. Surgery. 2007;142(2):276-83, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2007.04.008.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2007.04.0...
).

In conclusion, resuscitation with HS and PTX in an experimental model of small bowel obstruction with ischemia decreases lipid peroxidation, apoptosis and mortality. No benefits of PTX when used in combination with RL were observed in this experimental model.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by USP/FM/PROAP/2015- CAPES and CNPq-PQ.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    06 June 2019
  • Date of issue
    2019

History

  • Received
    14 May 2018
  • Accepted
    25 Feb 2019
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