Inhibition of intestinal lipid peroxidation does not minimize morphologic damage

Free radical-initiated lipid peroxidation (LP) following intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) may disrupt mucosal integrity. It is unknown if inhibition of LP prevents this injury. We analyzed rat ileum, subjected to I/R, for evidence of LP inhibition and structural damage following treatment with the 21-aminosteroid, U74389F, a potent LP inhibitor. Four groups of Lewis rats were studied after superior mesenteric artery occlusion with ligation of collateral arcades: (i) no ischemia, (ii) 10 min ischemia, (iii) 10 min ischemia + 1 hr reperfusion, (iv) 10 min ischemia + 1 hr reperfusion + U74389F (6 mg/kg i.v. prior to clamp removal and reperfusion). Ileal mucosa was analyzed for: 9i0 superoxide dismutase (SOD; U/mg protein), a key antioxidant enzyme, (ii) myeloperoxidase (MPO; U/mg protein), an index of PMN stimulation, (iii) malondialdehyde (MDA; pmole/mg), an end product of LP, and (iv) routine histology. MDA rose from 2.09 +/- 0.44 (mean +/- SE) in Group 1 to 15.10 +/- 2.22 in Group 3 following I/R (P < 0.01). In Group 2 and Group 4, MDA remained unchanged at 3.25 +/- 1.38 and 1.73 +/- 0.15, respectively. MPO, likewise, rose during I/R from 0.59 +/- 0.17 in Group 1 to 1.10 +/- 0.13 in Group 3 (P = 0.08) and 1.49 +/- 0.24 in Group 4 (P < 0.05). SOD did not vary significantly in the four groups studied. Despite PMN stimulation indicated by increased MPO with reperfusion, no PMN infiltration was seen histologically. U74389F normalized MDA, indicating effective inhibition of LP; however, similar epithelial sloughing and edema and hemorrhage in the lamina propria were seen in treated and untreated rats. These data implicate MDA-independent or possibly LP-independent pathways in intestinal morphologic damage occurring with I/R.