Concomitant Increase in Neutrophil Adhesion to Inflammatory Peritoneum and Remote Organs during Peritonitis

Abstract Background. Neutrophils contribute to the host defense mechanism, but they can cause remote organ injury in peritonitis. The purpose of this study was to examine neutrophil adhesion to the peritoneum and remote organs simultaneously in peritonitis using a fluorescence microscopic method. Study design. Experiment 1: Sprague–Dawley rats ( n = 16) were injected intraperitoneally (ip) with saline solution or 10 5 , 10 7 , or 10 9 Escherichia coli. Five hours after challenge, 1 × 10 6 fluorescein-labeled neutrophils were infused. Two minutes after neutrophil injection, five peritoneal samples (the greater omentum, mesentery, parietal peritoneum, colon, and ileum), both lungs, the liver, and the right kidney were harvested for counting of labeled neutrophils under epifluorescent microscopy. Lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was also determined. Experiment 2: Rats ( n = 23) were given 10 9 E. coli ip. Before challenge (0 h) or at 1, 5, or 10 h after challenge, labeled neutrophils were infused. Then, the labeled neutrophil numbers in organs and lung MPO activities were assessed as described for Experiment 1. Hemodynamic and arterial blood gas data were also obtained in another set of rats before and at 1, 5, 8 and 10 h after 10 9 E. coli ip challenge. Results. Experiment 1: The labeled neutrophil numbers in the peritoneum, lungs, and kidney showed significant positive correlations with the injected bacterial numbers. Lung MPO also positively correlated with E. coli number and labeled neutrophil number in the lungs. Experiment 2: Labeled neutrophil numbers in the peritoneum and kidney peaked at 5 h. The pulmonary labeled neutrophil number rose, reaching a plateau at 5 h. No remarkable change was observed in the hepatic labeled neutrophil number. There was a positive correlation between lung MPO activity and pulmonary labeled neutrophil number. Hemodynamic and blood gas data reflected a hyperdynamic state. Conclusions. Concomitant dose-dependent increases in neutrophil adhesion in the peritoneum, lungs, and kidney were observed in this peritonitis model. Increased neutrophil adhesion was transient in the peritoneum and kidney but persistent in the lungs. Strategies modulating neutrophil adhesion in organs are anticipated to be useful for the treatment of peritonitis.