Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interleukin‐6 Activity and Endotoxin Concentration in Peritoneal Fluid and Blood of Horses with Acute Abdominal Disease

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activities and endotoxin concentration in blood and peritoneal fluid of 155 adult horses with acute abdominal disease (colic). Samples also were obtained from 20 healthy adult horses. Blood and peritoneal fluid supernatant TNF and IL-6 activities and endotoxin concentration were significantly greater in horses with colic, compared with healthy horses. In horses with colic, the peritoneal fluid endotoxin concentration and TNF and IL-6 activities were significantly greater than those in blood. Within the colic group, peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was the analyte that was most frequently increased. Blood and peritoneal fluid supernatant TNF and IL-6 activities were significantly greater when endotoxin was detected in the same sample. Blood and peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was significantly greater in horses with inflammatory or strangulating lesions, compared with horses having nonstrangulating or noninflammatory lesions. Compared with all other data categories, diagnostic accuracy for nonsurvival was greatest (80%) when blood IL-6 activity exceeded 60 units/mL. The results of this study indicate that endotoxin was present in the peritoneal cavity of at least one third of horses with any acute disease of the abdomen. In horses presented for colic, blood or peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was more useful than either TNF activity or endotoxin concentration for distinguishing lesion type. Although diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of nonsurvival was good for all of the analytes, negative values were more useful in the prediction of a favorable outcome than were abnormally increased values in the prediction of mortality.

Comparison of lipopolysaccharides and soluble CD14 measurement between clinically endotoxaemic and nonendotoxaemic horses

“…Previous reports suggest that there is a wide range (10-41%) in the percentage of endotoxin recovery from horses with colic [1,9,[11][12][13]. The results reported here are somewhat higher than these earlier reports, probably due to differences in case classification and technical improvements in the assay, although sample contamination during collection cannot be ruled out.…”

Ketamine inhibits LPS-induced tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in an equine macrophage cell line

“…In the present study the effect of ketamine on the cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 was investigated since these cytokines have been shown to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis, progress and outcome of equine endotoxaemia [1,9].…”

“…Circulating endotoxins may stimulate mononuclear phagocytes to produce and release inflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids, platelet activating factor and cytokines [1,8]. In horses, the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of endotoxaemia following gastrointestinal disorders [1,9].…”

Induction and characterization of endotoxin tolerance in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

“…High TNF-α and/or IL-6 concentrations have been associated with an unfavorable outcome (Barton and Collatos 1999;MacKay et al 1991;Steverink et al 1995). IL-10 blocks the in vitro and in vivo production of TNF-α and decreases LPS toxicity as well as LPS-induced mortality in humans and mice .…”