Clinical implications of indomethacin superfused over the capillaries of frogs with activated white blood cells

Abstract

Treatment for inflammation is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of indomethacin on capillary permeability in animals with signs of systemic inflammation. We hypothesized that the permeability of an individual capillary would be lower after a shear stress challenge in the presence of indomethacin when evidence of systemic infection was present in the animal. Frogs (n=13) were pithed and the mesentery was exposed, hydraulic conductivity (L p) was assessed at 30 cm H 2O using the modified Landis technique after an abrupt change in shear stress. Two capillaries from each frog were used; one was a control and one with indomethacin superfused over the tissue. The frogs showed a systemic infection (nitro blue tetrazolium activation) but individual capillaries had no evidence of rolling or sticking white cells. There was a significant decrease in L p (P=0.002) when comparing the control and treatment vessels. The results of the analysis indicate capillary L p assessed in mesentery of infected frogs, decreased when exposed to shear stress and indomethacin. The data imply that gaps between endothelial cells may get smaller when indomethacin is introduced into the system decreasing the flow of fluids out of the capillary.