Role of platelet-activating factor in skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury

These studies indicate that PAF, a known stimulator of aggregation, secretory and/or contractile activity of platelets, neutrophils, smooth muscle and other cells, is produced by skeletal muscle during IRI. The maximum increase occurs at 10 to 15 minutes and continues for at least an hour. Infusions of PAF into skeletal muscle subjected to 20 minutes of ischemia and 20 hours of reperfusion resulted in tissue necrosis similar to that produced by 5 hours of ischemia and 20 hours of reperfusion. 25 mg/kg of pentoxifylline, infused immediately prior to reperfusion of ischemic skeletal muscle, decreased PAF production and muscle necrosis. It was also demonstrated that skeletal muscle necrosis can be reduced by infusion of PAF antagonists (WEB-2086) into the muscle immediately prior to reperfusion. Thus, PAF has an important role in skeletal muscle IRI and additional studies of PAF inhibition during IRI are warranted.