Miki S, Takeyama N, Tanaka T, Nakatani T. Immune dysfunction in endotoxicosis: Role of nitric oxide produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase*.
Crit Care Med 2005;
33:716-20. [PMID:
15818094 DOI:
10.1097/01.ccm.0000159200.69314.3a]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alters cytokine production by splenocytes in mice and whether it changes the T-helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 balance. The role of nitric oxide in such immunologic changes was also explored using mice with genetic lack of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).
DESIGN
: Prospective animal study with concurrent controls.
SETTING
University research laboratory.
SUBJECTS
iNOS knockout mice and wild-type littermates.
INTERVENTIONS
iNOS knockout mice or wild-type mice were injected with LPS or saline with or without anti-interleukin (IL)-6 antibody, and survival was monitored for 7 days.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
At 24 and 48 hrs after administration, blood samples and splenocytes were obtained to examine immunologic variables. Cell surface markers and cytokine expression of splenocytes were used to characterize the Th1/Th2 balance and were measured by flow cytometry. At 48 hrs after LPS administration, the Th1/Th2 balance shifted toward Th2 predominance in wild-type mice, irrespective of the IL-6 level, whereas it showed Th1 predominance in iNOS knockout mice, and the increase of IL-6 and IL-10 in response to LPS persisted in these animals. After LPS administration, the mortality rate was significantly higher in iNOS knockout mice than in wild-type mice, irrespective of the IL-6 level.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that nitric oxide produced by iNOS during endotoxemia may be involved in down-regulation of Th1 cytokines and up-regulation of Th2 cytokines, whereas IL-6 has no such role. The increased lethality of LPS in iNOS knockout mice suggests that nitric oxide may be protective against proinflammatory cytokine-induced damage. Nitric oxide excess may increase susceptibility to nosocomial infections, so-called immunoparalysis.
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