Perturbation of Transmembrane Signaling Mechanisms in Acute and Chronic Endotoxemia

摘要

Perturbation of metabolic pathways is one of the hallmarks of injury, trauma and sepsis. Through the efforts of many investigators, the phenomenology defining the characteristics of these various effects on cellular and organ functions has been reasonably well established. However, the precise molecular mechanisms which initiate and sustain these aberrations remain relatively unclear. We have been able to demonstrate perturbations at several points in the signal cascade in endotoxemia, namely, in terms of the number of alpha-adrenergic and vasopressin-binding sites, in the coupling of activation of vasopressin receptors to phospholipase C, in the level of cytosolic ionized calcium Ca(2) and phosphorylase a activation, as well as alterations in IP(3) messenger function. Keywords: Phospholipids; Triphosphatase; Endotoxins; Receptor sites; Binding sites. (KT)