B1 kinin receptor activity in pigs is associated with pre-existing infection

• Published in: Immunopharmacology 1998-07, Vol.40 (1), p.49-55
• Main Authors: Siebeck, Matthias, Schorr, Markus, Spannagl, Erwin, Lehner, Markus, Fritz, Hans, Cheronis, John C., Whalley, Eric T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholine - pharmacology; Animals; B1 kinin receptor; Bacterial infection; Bacterial Infections - etiology; Bacterial Infections - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Bradykinin - analogs & derivatives; Bradykinin - pharmacology; Bradykinin Receptor Antagonists; Circulation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Heart Rate - drug effects; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharides; Molecular and cellular biology; Pigs; Receptor induction; Receptor, Bradykinin B1; Receptor, Bradykinin B2; Receptors, Bradykinin - agonists; Swine
• ISSN: 0162-3109
• DOI: 10.1016/S0162-3109(98)00035-6

Bradykinin (BK) and related kinins are potent inflammatory mediators produced during acute and chronic inflammation. The effects of these kinins are mediated via the stimulation of either a B2 or a B1 receptor. The B1 receptor is not normally present but its expression can be induced within 4 h by a variety of noxious stimuli, specifically, Gram-negative bacteria or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) given to healthy animals. This study compared the cardiovascular response of healthy pigs and pigs diagnosed with a pre-existing spontaneously acquired infection to BK, a B2 receptor agonist, and des-Arg9–BK, a B1 receptor agonist. Eighty-eight percent of the animals diagnosed with an established infection based on a standardized clinical evaluation demonstrated increased sensitivity and responsiveness to des-Arg9–BK but normal responsiveness to BK and acetylcholine. In contrast, only 15% of healthy animals showed elevated responses to des-Arg9–BK. The response to des-Arg9–BK and BK in each group was characterised as B1 and B2, respectively, using the selective B1 and B2 antagonists Lys0–Leu8–des-Arg9–BK and Hoe 140, respectively. This study demonstrates the existence and function of the B1 receptor in animals with a previously acquired infection. These observations lend validity to animal experiments with LPS infusion in order to model bacterial inflammation.