Tumour necrosis factor-α, but not septic plasma depresses cardiac myofilament contraction

Purpose In sepsis, myocardial depression may be caused by mediators released as part of the inflammatory reaction. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is one mediator that may contribute to this depression. In the present study, we contrasted the effects of TNFα and septic plasma fraction (SP) obtained from anE. coli model on contractile tension in intact and skinned canine ventricular trabecular (VT) preparations. The objectives were to determine whether SP or TNFα could impair contractile tension at the level of the myofilaments, and to determine the extent to which TNFα may account for myocardial depression found inE. coli sepsis.