TNF potentiates PAF-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction in the rat: role of neutrophils and thromboxane A2.

Both tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are released during sepsis and are important mediators of septic lung injury. I investigated the interactions of TNF and PAF on vasoactive responses in the pulmonary circulation. In isolated rat lungs perfused with a cell- and plasma-free physiological salt solution, PAF (0.01- and 0.1-micrograms boluses) caused transient dose-dependent pulmonary arterial and venous constrictions. In vivo pretreatment of the rats with TNF (0.02 or 0.2 mg/kg i.v.) 1 h before lung isolation increased lung myeloperoxidase activity and markedly enhanced PAF-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction without affecting the pressor responses to angiotensin II or hypoxia. In contrast, pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide (10 mg/kg), which increased lung myeloperoxidase to the same extent as TNF, caused only a modest enhancement of PAF-induced vasoconstriction associated with reduced pressor responses to angiotensin II and hypoxia. Ex vivo perfusion of isolated lungs with TNF for 1 h did not affect PAF vasoconstriction. The TNF-induced potentiation of PAF vasoconstriction was not altered by depletion of circulating neutrophils with vinblastine but was blocked by Dazmegrel, a thromboxane synthase inhibitor. Thus, TNF potentiates PAF-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction by an in vivo mechanism that is neutrophil independent but thromboxane dependent. This TNF-PAF interaction likely contributes to the development of pulmonary hypertension during sepsis.