The influence of antibodies to TNF‐α and IL‐1β on haemodynamic responses to the cytokines, and to lipopolysaccharide, in conscious rats
Authors: Gardiner S M , Kemp P A , March J E , Woolley J , Bennett T 
Published: January 2005

Male, Long Evans rats (350–450 g) were anaesthetized and had pulsed Doppler probes and intravascular catheters implanted to allow monitoring of regional (renal, mesenteric and hindquarters) haemodynamics in the conscious state. Our main objectives were to:‐ assess the effects of administering human recombinant tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and human recombinant interleukin‐1 (IL‐1)β, alone and together; determine the influence of pretreatment with a mixture of antibodies to TNF‐α and IL‐1β on responses to co‐administration of the cytokines; ascertain if pretreatment with a mixture of the antibodies to TNF‐α and IL‐1β had any influence on the responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

TNF‐α (10, 100 and 250 μg kg−1, in separate groups, n=3, 9 and 8, respectively) caused tachycardia (maximum Δ, +101±9 beats min−1) and modest hypotension (maximum Δ, −10±2 mmHg), accompanied by variable changes in renal and mesenteric vascular conductance, but clear increases in hindquarters vascular conductance; only the latter were dose‐related (maximum Δ, +6±6, +27±9, and +61±12% at 10, 100 and 250 μg kg−1, respectively).

IL‐1β (1, 10, and 100 μg kg−1 in separate groups, n=8, 8 and 9, respectively) evoked changes similar to those of TNF‐α (maximum Δ heart rate, +69±15 beats min−1; maximum Δ mean blood pressure, −14±2 mmHg; maximum Δ hindquarters vascular conductance, +49±17%), but with no clear dose‐dependency.

TNF‐α (250 μg kg−1) and IL‐1β (10 μg kg−1) together caused tachycardia (maximum Δ, +76±15 beats min−1) and hypotension (maximum Δ, −24±2 mmHg) accompanied by increases in renal, mesenteric and hindquarters vascular conductances (+52±6%, +23±8%, and +52±11%, respectively). Thereafter, blood pressure recovered, in association with marked reductions in mesenteric and hindquarters vascular conductances (maximum Δ, −50±3% and −58±3%, respectively). Although bolus injection of LPS (3.5 mg kg−1) caused an initial hypotension (maximum Δ, −27±11 mmHg) similar to that seen with co‐administration of the cytokines, it did not cause mesenteric or hindquarters vasodilatation, and there was only a slow onset renal vasodilatation. The recovery in blood pressure following LPS was less than after the cytokines, and in the former condition there was no mesenteric vasoconstriction. By 24 h after co‐administration of TNF‐α and IL‐1β or after bolus injection of LPS, the secondary reduction in blood pressure was similar (−16±2 and −13±3 mmHg, respectively), but in the former group the tachycardia (+117±14 beats min−1) and increase in hindquarters vascular conductance (+99±21%) were greater than after bolus injection of LPS (+54±16 beats min−1 and +43±9%, respectively).

Pretreatment with antibodies to TNF‐α and IL‐1β (300 mg kg−1) blocked the initial hypotensive and mesenteric and hindquarters vasodilator responses to co‐administration of the cytokines subsequently. However, tachycardia and renal vasodilatation were still apparent. Premixing antibodies and cytokines before administration prevented most of the effects of the latter, but tachycardia was still present at 24 h.

Pretreatment with antibodies to TNF‐α and IL‐1β before infusion of LPS (150 μg kg−1 h−1 for 24 h) did not affect the initial fall in blood pressure, but suppressed the hindquarters vasodilatation and caused a slight improvement in the recovery of blood pressure. However, pretreatment with the antibodies had no effect on the subsequent cardiovascular sequelae of LPS infusion.

The results indicate that although co‐administration of TNF‐α and IL‐1β can evoke cardiovascular responses which, in some respects, mimic those of LPS, and although antibodies to the cytokines can suppress most of the cardiovascular effects of the cytokines, the antibodies have little influence on the haemodynamic responses to LPS, possibly because, during infusion of LPS, the sites of production and local action of endogenous cytokines, are not accessible to exogenous antibodies.

British Journal of Pharmacology (1998) 125, 1543–1550; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0702250