Contribution of circulating formed elements to prostanoid production in complement-mediated lung injury in sheep

Incubation of plasma with zymosan results in complement activation. Infusion of this "zymosan-activated plasma" (ZAP) into the superior vena cava in sheep results in pulmonary leukostasis, pulmonary hypertension with generation of thromboxane (TXB), and hypoxemia. To examine the contribution of circulating formed elements to TXB generated when ZAP is infused, we studied four pairs of sheep in a cross-circulation model. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) irreversibly acetylates cyclooxygenase and blocks TXB production. Four hours after an intravenous dose of ASA (10 mg/kg), no circulating ASA was detectable by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Infusion of ZAP in ASA-treated animals resulted in no pulmonary hypertension and no rise in serum TXB levels. Treated animals were then cross-circulated with untreated sheep through cannulas that attached a carotid artery of each animal to a jugular vein of the other, creating simultaneous arteriovenous fistulas between the animals. A roller pump maintained cross-circulation flow at 450 ml/min for 15 minutes. This resulted in greater than 80% mixing of the circulating blood volumes of each pair of animals, verified by measurement of an intravascular marker. After cross-circulation the ASA-treated animals were still unable to generate TXB in response to ZAP infusion. Untreated animals had a typical response when infused with ZAP after cross-circulation, with elaboration of large amounts of TXB. Since the treated animals with circulating, nonaspirinated formed elements showed no response and the untreated animals with similar blood composition had a normal response, we conclude that circulating formed elements do not contribute significantly to the TXB recovered from sheep infused with activated complement components.