IL-1 provokes electrical abnormalities in rat atrial myocardium.

Using a micro-electrode technique we studied the effects of interleukin 1α and interleukin 1ß on bio-electric activity of rat atrial myocardium under normal conditions and after gradual stretching. Perfusion with interleukin 1α increased the duration of the action potential at the level of 90% re-polarization. Stretch induced tachy-arrhythmia in the presence of interleukin 1α is mainly regulated via stretch increased nitric oxide production, while the ionotropic effect of the interleukin-1α during stretching is not pronounced. The perfusion with interleukin 1ß did not change the values of the duration of the action potentials at the levels of 25, 50 and 90% repolarization. The interleukin lß caused an appearance of extra-systolic patterns which turned into normal rhythm, alternating with periods of normal activity. The total intracellular nitric oxide level induced by both interleukin 1ß and stretching is balanced by interleukin-1ß induced cation influx.

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha prevents decreased ventricular contractility in endotoxemic pigs.

It is not known how the decrease in left ventricular contractility following endotoxin exposure is mediated, or whether this decrease is preventable by antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha). Four groups of six anesthetized and instrumented pigs were pretreated with ovine polyclonal antibody to human TNF alpha (anti-TNF alpha), nonspecific IgG, or saline, and then treated with either endotoxin or saline. We measured hemodynamics and left ventricular pressures (Millar catheter) and volumes (conductance catheter). Left ventricular contractility was assessed using the slope (Emax) of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship. Four hours after the start of endotoxin infusion in the nonspecific IgG pretreated group, Emax had decreased by 44 +/- 6% (p < 0.05), mean arterial pressure had decreased from 115 +/- 7 mm Hg to 70 +/- 10 mm Hg (p < 0.05), and cardiac output was rapidly decreasing after an initial increase (p < 0.05). Anti-TNF alpha significantly reduced the decrease in Emax (11 +/- 9%, p < 0.05), and the systemic hypotension (108 +/- 15 mm Hg to 99 +/- 6 mm Hg, p < 0.05), at 4 h, and prevented the late decrease in cardiac output. This suggests that TNF alpha is an important early mediator in sepsis leading to decreased left ventricular contractility.