REACTIVE SPECIES IN ISCHEMIC RAT LUNG INJURY - CONTRIBUTION OF PEROXYNITRITE

Lung ischemia-reperfusion represents a potentially important mechanism for diverse forms of tissue injury associated with decreased pulmonary flow. Previous studies demonstrated oxidative injury in ischemic-reperfused lungs. The present study was designed to evaluate the contribution of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in tissue injury. The levels of the stable decomposition products of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite, nitrite plus nitrate, were twofold greater than control during reperfusion after 60 min of ischemia. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis by endotracheal insufflation of 5 mM N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, 30 min before the induction of ischemia, decreased the production of lung thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) by 67% (P < 0.05, n = 5), TBARS released into the lung perfusate by 55% (P < 0.05, n = 5), lung-conjugated dienes by 61% (P < 0.05, n = 5), and dinitrophenylhydrazine-reactive protein carbonyl levels by 86% (P < 0.05, n = 5). Amino acid analysis of tissue homogenates from lungs exposed to 60 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion revealed a 1.8-fold (P < 0.05, n = 5) increase in nitrotyrosine concentration compared with 2 h continuously perfused lungs. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis abolished the increase in nitrotyrosine levels. Furthermore, lungs exposed to 60 min of reperfusion after 60 min of ischemia showed specific binding of an anti-nitrotyrosine antibody. In reperfused tissues, antibody binding was observed throughout the lung. The binding was blocked with excess of nitrotyrosine, and minimal binding was observed in nonperfused blood-free control lungs. These results indicate that a strong oxidant derived from nitric oxide consistent with the reactivity of peroxynitrite contributes to the oxidative injury of isolated rat lung from ischemia-reperfusion.