Effect of stellate ganglion block on acute lung injury in septic rats

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effect of stellate ganglion block (SGB) on acute lung injury in septic rats. Methods Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 12-15 weeks, weighing 300-350 g, were equally and randomly divided into 3 groups using a random number table: sham operation group (group S), sepsis group (group Sep) and SGB group.Cervical sympathetic trunk transaction was performed to induce right SGB in group SGB, and 30 min later sepsis was produced by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) in CLP and SGB groups.At 5 min before CLP (T0) and 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after CLP (T1-4), 6 rats were selected in each group, and blood samples were taken from the abdominal aorta for determination of the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The rats were sacrificed after each blood sampling, and lungs were removed for microscopic examination of the pathological changes of lungs which were scored and for determination of wet/dry lung weight ratio (W/D ratio), myelopemxidase (MPO) activity (by spectrophotometry) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 expression (using Western blot). Results Compared with group S, the serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations, W/D ratio, pathological scores, and MPO activity were significantly increased, and the expression of NF-κB p65 was up-regulated at T1-4 in Sep and SGB groups.Compared with group Sep, the serum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations, W/D ratio, pathological scores, and MPO activity were significantly decreased, and the serum IL-10 concentrations were increased, and the expression of NF-κB p65 was down-regulated at T1-4 in group SGB. Conclusion SGB can attenuate acute lung injury in septic rats. Key words: Stellate ganglion; Nerve block; Sepsis; Respiratory distress syndrome, adult