Upregulation of endothelin-1 and adrenomedullin gene expression in the mouse endotoxin shock model

Septic shock is a life-threatening disorder caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and other bacterial products. Accumulating evidence indicates a role for vasoactive substances and cytokines in this disease process. In this study we examined the effect of LPS on the gene expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and adrenomedullin (AM), two major vasoactive peptides predominantly produced by vascular endothelial cells, to investigate their role in the pathophysiology of septic shock. LPS induced ET-1 and AM gene expression in the heart, lung, kidney, liver, and aorta within 6 h. In the liver, whereas basal ET-1 and AM mRNA were hardly detectable, ET-1 and AM gene expression and peptide production were markedly increased by LPS. This LPS-induced upregulation of ET-1 and AM expression is greatly potentiated by D-galactosamine (D-GalN), although D-GalN alone could not induce ET-1 and AM gene expression. These results, together with the previous findings that liver injury induced by LPS and D-GalN is mainly mediated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), suggest that the LPS-cytokine pathway may cause upregulation of ET-1 and AM production, leading to dysregulation of systemic and regional vascular tone.