Objective: To elucidate the possible mechanisms underlying beneficial effect of recombinant bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (rBPI) on multiple organ damage secondary to major burns.
Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to a 35% full-thickness scald injury, and randomly divided into 3 groups: normal controls (n = 8), thermal injury (n = 21), and rBPI21 treatment (n = 12). In thermal injury and rBPI21 treatment groups, animals were sacrificed at 12 and 24 hours after burn, respectively. Tissue samples from liver, kidneys, lungs and intestine were collected to measure lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP)/lipopolysaccharide receptor CD14 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression. In addition, blood samples were obtained for measurement of organ function parameters.
Results: Treatment with rBPI21 could significantly decrease tissue LBP and CD14 mRNA expression in various organs (P < 0.05-0.01). Also, TNF-alpha mRNA expression in liver, kidneys and lungs were markedly inhibited by rBPI21 secondary to acute insults (P < 0.05-0.01). Moreover, in the rBPI21 treatment group, significant reduction in serum GPT levels and elevation in intestinal DAO activities were found compared to those in the thermal injury group (P < 0.05-0.01).
Conclusions: Treatment with rBPI21 is effective in attenuating multiple organ damage resulted from gut origin endotoxin translocation after thermal injury, which might be associated with down-regulation effect of tissue LBP and CD14 gene expression by use of rBPI21.