• Li-xia Liu, Zhen-jie Hu, Yong Li, Jie Su, Yan Huo, and Li-qiao Fan.
• Intensive Care Unit, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei, China.
• Zhongguo Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu Yi Xue. 2010 Dec 1;22(12):736-9.

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of caspase-3 inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO on the concentrations of serum inflammatory cytokines in sepsis related acute kidney injury induced by peritoneal cavity infection in mice.MethodsOne hundred and two male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP, a model of polymicrobial sepsis) or sham operation. The animals were assigned into three equal groups (n=34) according to random number table: sham group, model group, and caspase-3 inhibitor (CI) group. Thirty minutes before CLP, Ac-DEVD-CHO (4 μg/g) was injected subcutaneously in CI group. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) were determined, and the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-10) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the renal cell apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry and the expression of caspase-3 mRNA was determined by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at 6, 12 and 24 hours after operation. The 4-day and 7-day survival rates of three groups of mice were observed.ResultsCompared with sham group, the concentrations of serum BUN, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and the renal cell apoptosis rates, the caspase-3 mRNA expression were increased significantly at all time points after CLP, the concentrations of serum Cr were increased significantly at 6 hours, with the 4-day and 7-day survival rates were decreased significantly. Compared with model group, in CI group, the concentrations of serum BUN were decreased significantly at all time points after operation and those of Cr were decreased significantly at 6 hours, then restored to those of the sham group at 12 hours and 24 hours; the concentrations of serum TNF-α, IL-6 were decreased and those of IL-10 elevated significantly at all time points [TNF-α (μg/L) 6 hours: 436.2±64.2 vs. 653.6±8.9, 12 hours: 233.4±85.4 vs. 579.7±137.1, 24 hours: 151.0±90.3 vs. 551.0±119.8; IL-6 (μg/L) 6 hours: 1 033.2±345.8 vs. 1 595.3±159.4, 12 hours : 366.3±68.3 vs. 1 330.7±249.8, 24 hours: 241.2±208.4 vs. 815.3±572.7; IL-10 (μg/L) 6 hours : 33.6±10.4 vs. 26.6±4.5, 12 hours: 37.2±5.0 vs. 24.5±4.3, 24 hours: 38.3±5.5 vs. 18.2±1.6, all P<0.05]; the renal cell apoptosis rate and the expression of caspase-3 mRNA were decreased significantly at all time points [apoptosis rates 6 hours: (13.9±3.2)% vs. (18.3±1.4)%, 12 hours: (10.5±3.6)% vs. (15.9±3.5)%, 24 hours: (8.4±1.8)% vs. (12.5±2.1)%; caspase-3 mRNA 6 hours: 1.95±0.16 vs. 3.84±0.35, 12 hours: 1.89±0.19 vs. 3.97±0.73, 24 hours : 2.01±0.20 vs. 4.97±0.24, all P<0.05]. The 4-day survival rate of CI group was improved (80% vs. 20%), but that of 7-day did not change (20% vs. 20%).ConclusionThe modulation of caspase-3 inhibitor on the concentrations of serum inflammatory cytokines in sepsis related acute kidney injury induced by peritoneal cavity infection may be associated with a decrease in renal cell apoptosis by Ac-DEVD-CHO.

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