Abstract.
Background
Propofol has been widely used in intravenous anesthesia. It possesses antioxidant and immunomodulating effects. This study aimed to investigate whether propofol may attenuate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial cell barrier dysfunction and the possible mechanisms of such modulation.
Methods
Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to assess the following treatments: (i) no additives (negative control), (ii) LPS alone (1 and 10 μg/ml), (iii) propofol alone (20 μg/ml), (iv) intralipid (a solvent of propofol) alone (20 μg/ml), (v) LPS (10 μg/ml) combination with propofol (4 and 20 μg/ml) and (vi) LPS (10 μg/ml) combination with intralipid (20 μg/ml). Changes of cell permeability and filamentous actin (F-actin) were determined. Expression of nitrotyrosine proteins and activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) were analyzed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Expression of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
Results
LPS markedly increased the permeability of endothelial cells, the formation of peroxynitrite and depolymerization of F-actin in HUVECs. LPS also significantly increased mRNA of iNOS, protein level of NF-κB and decreased mRNA of eNOS (P < 0.05). Propofol at both concentrations (4 and 20 μg/ml) significantly inhibited the LPS–induced increase in cell permeability and alteration in F-actin organization. Propofol also reduced the LPS-enhanced iNOS mRNA and NF-κB protein levels whilst it increased eNOS mRNA expression (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
This study demonstrated that propofol, both at therapeutic concentrations and 5 times therapeutic concentrations, inhibited NF-κB activation in LPS-stimulated endothelial cells and was found to protect endothelial cells against LPS-induced barrier dysfunction.
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Received 13 August 2005; returned for revision 30 December 2005; returned for final revision 28 March 2006; accepted by M. Katori 4 April 2006
This project was supported in part by a grant from the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2005-259); in part by a grant from the Guangdong Province administration of TCM (2050069). Other funds come from departmental sources.
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Gao, J., Zhao, W.X., Zhou, L.J. et al. Protective effects of propofol on lipopolysaccharide-activated endothelial cell barrier dysfunction. Inflamm. res. 55, 385–392 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-006-5116-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-006-5116-0