Effect of anti-C5a antibody on blood-lung and blood-brain barrier in rabbits after decompression.

摘要

The complement activation product C5a may be an important mediator of tissue injury after decompression stress. This study investigated whether the administration of anti-C5a antibody may reduce changes after decompression in the lung and in the brain. Two groups of rabbits were used; one receiving anti-C5a monoclonal antibody (n = 7) and the other receiving a sham antibody as control (n = 7) before pressure exposure. Five rabbits (4 in the anti-C5a group and 1 in the control group) died during the 2-h observation period postdive due to massive bubbling. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) infiltration of lung tissue and pulmonary edema was observed, but this accumulation was unaffected by anti-C5a pretreatment. However, a significant positive correlation was observed between PMN accumulation and survival time postdive. Brain-specific gravity was lower for the group treated with anti-C5a antibody compared to the control group. Further, it was lower for those rabbits that died early compared to the ones that survived the 2-h period. This study was unable to prove a protective effect on the blood-brain and blood-lung barrier by injecting anti-C5a antibody. A possible beneficial effect of anti-C5a antibody may be masked by the mechanical damage caused by the gas bubbles.