Objective: To investigate the protecting effect of mesenteric lymph duct ligation on cytokine expression and pathological changes in intestine, liver and lung in rats with hemorrhagic shock.
Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, hemorrhagic shock and hemorrhagic shock plus mesenteric lymph duct ligation, with 8 rats in each group. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA in intestine, liver and lung tissue in three groups. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used for the observation of pathological changes in intestine, liver, lung in all groups.
Results: The TNF-alpha mRNA and IL-6 mRNA in intestinal, liver, and lung tissues of rats in the hemorrhagic shock group were markedly higher than those in control group (TNF-alpha mRNA: intestine 0.54+/-0.07 vs. 0.37+/-0.05, liver 1.01+/-0.06 vs. 0.56+/-0.07, lung 0.94+/-0.07 vs. 0.62+/-0.06; IL-6 mRNA: intestine 0.89+/-0.12 vs. 0.50+/-0.09, liver 1.07+/-0.10 vs. 0.57+/-0.12, lung 1.09+/-0.09 vs. 0.67+/-0.06, all P<0.01). Mesenteric lymph duct ligation could obviously reduce the expressions of TNF-alpha mRNA and IL-6 mRNA (TNF-alpha mRNA: intestine 0.47+/-0.05 vs. 0.54+/-0.07, liver 0.81+/-0.07 vs. 1.01+/-0.06, lung 0.80+/-0.05 vs. 0.94+/-0.07; IL-6 mRNA: intestine 0.66+/-0.07 vs. 0.89+/-0.12, liver 0.83+/-0.13 vs. 1.07+/-0.10, lung 0.73+/-0.11 vs. 1.09+/-0.09, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Mesenteric lymph duct ligation could markedly attenuate necrosis and exfoliation of the intestinal villi, and it also ameliorated degeneration of liver cells, lung edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells.
Conclusion: Mesenteric lymph duct ligation can decrease the expressions of TNF-alpha mRNA and IL-6 mRNA in intestine, liver and lung tissue and attenuate the damage to these organs in rats with hemorrhagic shock. It plays a vital role in protecting the organ functions.