Modulation of the capillary leakage by exogenous albumin in a rat model of endothelial glycocalyx damage.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endothelial glycocalyx (EG) plays a crucial role in maintaining the plasma proteins within the intravascular space. OBJECTIVE: We studied whether exogenous albumin protects the EG in an experimental model of EG enzymatic damage in rats. METHODS: Rats were divided into three groups of 10 animals that received (1) Evans blue (2) Evans blue&#x200a;+&#x200a;hyaluronidase, or (3) Evans blue&#x200a;+&#x200a;hyaluronidase&#x200a;+&#x200a;20% human albumin via the tail vein. Spectrophotometric analysis was performed 2&#x200a;h later to quantify the leakage of Evans blue-labeled albumin into the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, liver, small intestine, spleen, and skeletal muscle. RESULTS: Administration of hyaluronidase numerically increased the capillary leakage of Evans blue in all examined tissues. Co-administration of albumin decreased the leakage of albumin in all tissues except the heart. In the lungs, the ratio between the absorbance and dry organ weight decreased from 5.3 &#xb1; 2.4 to 1.7 &#xb1; 0.5 (mean &#xb1; SD) (P&#x200a;<&#x200a;0.002), and in the liver, the absorbance decreased from 2.2 &#xb1; 0.7 to 1.5 &#xb1; 0.4 (P&#x200a;<&#x200a;0.011). CONCLUSION: Exogenous albumin decreased the capillary leakage of albumin which was interpreted as a sign of maintained EG integrity.