Endotoxin-induced left ventricular depression is blocked by nitrogen mustard or dimethylthiourea in rabbits.

We examined endotoxin-induced myocardial depression in 31 anesthetized rabbits using left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic pressure-volume relationships (sonomicrometers). In the control group, endotoxin (100 micrograms/kg iv) induced systolic depression (> 10% increase in end-systolic volume at matched end-systolic pressure) in 9 of 16 and diastolic dilation (> 10% increase in end-diastolic volume at matched end-diastolic pressure) in 8 of 16 rabbits within 7 h, unrelated to hypotension, acidosis, or hypoxia. Seven rabbits were pretreated with nitrogen mustard (1-2 mg/kg iv 4 and 2 days before) to decrease circulating neutrophils and monocytes by 98%. Endotoxin did not induce systolic depression in any rabbit (P = 0.01 compared with control), and diastolic dilation developed in one rabbit (P = 0.12). In eight rabbits pretreated with dimethylthiourea (DMTU; 500 mg/kg iv 30 min before), an intracellular free radical scavenger, systolic depression developed in one (P = 0.05) and diastolic dilation in five (P = 0.44). We conclude that cells inhibited by nitrogen mustard (e.g., neutrophils, monocytes, or macrophages) mediate endotoxin-induced left ventricular systolic depression. DMTU inhibited endotoxin-induced systolic but not diastolic dysfunction.