Reticuloendothelial system depression with hemolyzed blood and susceptibility to endotoxin shock and thermal injury.

The present study was carried out to determine if the reticuloendothelial system (RES) depression induced by the injection of hemolyzed blood and components of hemolyzed blood was associated with an increase in susceptibility to endotoxin shock and thermal injury. Hemolyzed blood and the particulate stroma fraction, but not the soluble supernatant fraction of hemolyzed blood, depressed RES phagocytic function at a dose of 0.3 ml/100g in rats. Hemolyzed washed red blood cells (RBC) and hemolyzed RBC stroma also depressed RES function. Susceptibility to endotoxin shock was increased by hemolyzed blood and the fractions of hemolyzed blood that depressed RES function. However, susceptibility to thermal injury was increased only by large doses of hemolyzed RBC stroma. These findings suggest that the hemolysis associated with thermal injury may induce RES depression and increase susceptibility to endotoxin shock.