Loss of microvascular negative charges accompanied by interstitial edema in septic rats' heart

We studied the effect of Gram-negative sepsis on negative charges of heart capillaries and myocardial cells. We used a rat model of multiorgan failure, with ruthenium red (RR) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as cationic binding tracers. Twenty-four hours after induction of sepsis, negative charges had decreased in glycocalyx and basement membrane of myocardial capillary endothelial cells. There were substantial amounts of interstitial edema. Density of anionic charges in the sarcolemmal glycocalyx complex of cardiac cells was markedly reduced. Myocardial cells' mitochondria consistently showed morphologic changes, whose severity ranged between stages II and IV C of Trump. Thirteen days after induction of sepsis, capillary endothelial and myocardial cells had recovered almost completely and showed no intracellular edema. Gram-negative sepsis caused a significant reduction in negative charges normally present in the microvascular wall as well as on myocardial cells. Consequently, several membranes limiting the various compartments of heart tissue lost their structural integrity. This morphometric data could explain the development of protein-rich interstitial edema and defective cell volume regulation observed in cardiac muscle of endotoxin-shocked animals. This myocardial edema may be at the origin of the cardiac dysfunction observed in both experimental and human septic shock.