Objective: To study the kinetics of expression and release of major pro-inflammatory cytokines in the vital organs after hemorrhagic shock.
Methods: Eighty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into hemorrhagic shock group (n=40) and control group (n=40). Eight rats were sacrificed at 30, 60 and 90 minutes respectively after shock and 30 and 90 minutes respectively after resuscitation. The expressions of mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and IL-6 in intestine, liver, lung tissues were assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in blood serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results: (1)The pro-inflammatory cytokines were not increased in intestine, liver and lung tissues at 30 minutes after shock. The TNF-alpha mRNA expression was first up-regulated in the intestine at 60 minutes after shock (P<0.05), followed by the liver at 90 minutes after shock (P<0.01) and then the lung at 30 minutes after resuscitation (P<0.05). The TNF-alpha mRNA expressions in intestine, liver and lung tissues were higher at 90 minutes after resuscitation compared with those of control group (all P<0.01). The expressions of mRNA of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6 in the vital organs could be successively increased after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation, with the TNF-alpha mRNA expression being the earliest, followed by the IL-1 beta mRNA and IL-6 mRNA. (2)The levels of TNF-alpha were increased in portal bloodstream prior to peripheral blood, and TNF-alpha preceded IL-6 at 60 minutes after shock (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences in the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in portal bloodstream and peripheral blood at 30 minutes after shock, but they were higher than those of control group at 90 minutes after shock and at 30 and 90 minutes after resuscitation (all P<0.01).
Conclusion: There is gut-liver-lung axis in the kinetics of expression and release of major pro-inflammatory cytokines after hemorrhagic shock.