Pancreatic Hypoperfusion and the Production of a Myocardial Depressant Factor in Hemorrhagic Shock

Hemorrhagic shock was produced in dogs by bleeding to a systemic blood pressure of 45 mm Hg for 3 hours, followed by reinfusion of the shed blood. A rapid decrease in pancreatic blood flow occurred and pancreatic perfusion remained at 15-25% of control over the entire 3-hour oligemic period. As a consequence of this marked degree of pancreatic hypoperfusion, autolytic changes occurred in pancreatic acinar cell ultrastructure, particularly in the enlarging of lysosomes which developed many vacuoles. Plasma proteolytic indices (e.g., cathepsin D activity and amino nitrogen concentration) markedly increased during shock as well as the activity of a myocardial depressant factor (MDF). MDF was also produced in incubated pancreatic homogenates obtained from nonshocked dogs and in non-incubated homogenates from shocked dogs. MDF activity in the homogenates was closely correlated with amino nitrogen concentration. These data suggest that pancreatic hypoperfusion plays a key role in MDF formation and ultimately in the pathogenesis of circulatory shock. Moreover, MDF activity was found not to be associated either with pentobarbital concentration or the salt content of active fractions of plasma and pancreatic tissue. Ashing of active fractions was very effective in destroying MDF activity. These data are consistent with the earlier findings that indicate MDF to be a peptide having a molecular weight of 500-1,000.