Effect on cardiopulmonary changes of gram-negative endotoxemia in sheep after type-specific, cross-reactive, and nonspecific immune stimulation

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of prior nonspecific immune stimulation (BCG), cross-reactive immunization (E. coli J5 0111 whole cells [J5 WC], and core glycolipid [J5 CGL], and type-specific immunization (Serratia marcescens core glycolipid [SM CGL]) on the cardiopulmonary variables and white blood cell counts of awake, monitored sheep following IV Serratia marcescens endotoxin. Comparison of cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, alveolar-arterial oxygen gradients, and total white blood cells lead us to conclude that type-specific immunization (SM CGL) most effectively ameliorates the changes of gram-negative endotoxemia contrasted to non-immunization. Core glycolipid cross-reactive (J5 CGL) immunization was somewhat more effective than whole-cell cross-reactive (J5 WC) immunization in this regard. Nonspecific immune stimulation (BCG) was able only to significantly decrease the changes in pulmonary vascular resistance compared to nonimmunization.