Aim: To investigate the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the pathogenesis of lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), and its effect on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression and neutrophil infiltration.
Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided randomly into control, I/R and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment groups, n=8 in each. I/R group and PDTC treatment group received superior mysenteric artery (SMA) occluding for 1 h and reperfusion for 2 h. PDTC group was administrated with intraperitoneal injection of 2% 100 mg/kg PDTC 1 h before surgery. Lung histology and bronchia alveolus lung fluid (BALF) protein were assayed. Serum IL-6, lung malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) as well as the expression level of NF-kappaB and ICAM-1 were measured.
Results: Lung injury induced by intestinal I/R, was characterized by edema, hemorrhage and neutrophil infiltration as well as by the significant rising of BALF protein. Compared to control group, the levels of serum IL-6 and lung MDA and MPO increased significantly in I/R group (P=0.001). Strong positive expression of NF-kappaB p65 and ICAM-1 was observed. After the administration of PDTC, the level of serum IL-6, lung MDA and MPO as well as NF-kappaB and ICAM-1 decreased significantly (P<0.05) when compared to I/R group.
Conclusion: The activation of NF-kappaB plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung injury induced by intestinal I/R through upregulating the neutrophil infiltration and lung ICAM-1 expression. PDTC as an inhibitor of NF-kappaB can prevent lung injury induced by intestinal I/R through inhibiting the activity of NF-kappaB.