Cecal inoculum peritonitis: An alternative model for sepsis vascular dysfunction study

Aims: Sepsis is a life threatening condition that is characterized by the loss of vascular reactivity. The factor (s) responsible for the diminished vascular function seen in sepsis are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the vascular dysfunction from the rat cecal inoculum (CI) sepsis model using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sepsis as reference models. Materials and methods: Experiments were performed on isolated aorta from Cl, CLP and LPS treated rats using a combination of pharmacological approaches. Key findings: Phenylephrine (PE)-induced aortic contraction was significantly decreased in each model (p < 0.05) and not normalized by L-NAME or indomethacin. The vascular response elicited in the Cl model for acetylcholine (Ach) was more similar to that seen in the CLP than the LPS model. The removal of the endothelial layer increased sensitivity to L-NAME (p < 0.05) in aortae from Cl group. Inhibition of the large conductance Ca2+/voltage sensitive K+ (BKCa) channel did not normalize PE hyporesponsiveness but did abolish sepsis-induced contractile oscillation. Inhibition of the voltage dependent Kv(1.5) channel was not able to reverse the vascular hyporesponsiveness, however, inhibition of the ATP dependent (K-ATP) channel inhibition partially restored the contractile response (p < 0.05). Elevation of VCAM expression and aortic structural alternation were observed in each model. Significance: These results suggest that the CI model may be an additional tool that could be used to investigate the mechanisms of vascular hyporesponsiveness in sepsis. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.