Leukocyte adherence in an ischemic muscle perfused by a collateral circulation

Leukocyte adherence was studied in an original experiment that allowed study of the microcirculation in an ischemic muscle perfused by a collateral circulation. In this model, the artery feeding the cremaster muscle was ligated. Then the muscle homolateral to the ligation and its contralateral muscle were both studied by intravital-microscopy at 4 h, 1, 3, 7, and 21 days after the ligation. Rats were treated or not with 20 mg/kg/day pentoxifylline (PTX) i.m. In untreated rats, we found that both short-lasting and long-lasting leukocyte adherence was largely increased in the postcapillary venules of the ischemic muscle but not in its contralateral control. This dramatic increase was not limited to the hours immediately after the arterial ligation but was also found up to 3 weeks after the ligation when blood flow was almost restored to normal. This suggested that when muscle blood flow was chronically reduced, some changes promoting leukocyte adherence may occur in the endothelium. In rats treated with PTX, we found very effective inhibition of leukocyte adherence.