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Oxygen free radical-induced histamine release during intestinal ischemia and reperfusion

M Boros1, J Kaszaki, S Nagy

  • 1Institute of Experimental Surgery, Szent-Györgyi Albert Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.

Insights

Oxygen free radicals (OFR) contribute to histamine release during intestinal reperfusion after ischemia. Inhibiting OFR formation reduced histamine release, suggesting a therapeutic target for acute mesenteric ischemia.

Area of Science:

  • Surgery
  • Intensive Care Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Pathophysiology

Background:

  • Acute mesenteric ischemia is a life-threatening condition requiring further research into its pathophysiology.
  • Oxygen free radicals (OFR) are implicated in intestinal mucosal damage during reperfusion injury.
  • Histamine (H) release is observed in tissue ischemia, but its link to OFR is poorly understood in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of oxygen free radicals (OFR) in histamine (H) release during intestinal reperfusion following acute mesenteric ischemia.
  • To test the hypothesis that OFR mediate H release in the ischemic gut upon reperfusion.

Main Methods:

  • Anesthetized dogs underwent temporary occlusion (1-2 hours) of the ileum artery to induce ischemia.
  • Histamine levels were measured in the venous effluent during the reperfusion phase.
  • Animals were pretreated with allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor) or MTDQ-DA (superoxide anion scavenger), or both, prior to reperfusion.

Main Results:

  • Reperfusion of the ischemic ileum segment led to a significant release of histamine into the venous effluent.
  • Pretreatment with allopurinol or MTDQ-DA, individually or in combination, markedly inhibited histamine release.
  • These findings demonstrate a direct correlation between OFR activity and histamine release in this model.

Conclusions:

  • Oxygen free radicals (OFR) play a significant role in the local histamine (H) release following intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.
  • Targeting OFR pathways may offer a therapeutic strategy to mitigate histamine release and associated damage in acute mesenteric ischemia.
  • Further research into the OFR-histamine axis is warranted for surgical and critical care interventions.

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