A massive
burn is one of the most serious
injuries resulting in major imbalances of the immune system. The aftermath of a
burn is frequently complicated by
infections and septic events that additionally increase mortality and morbidity. The aim of the present study was to investigate if
insulin attenuates the
cytokine response of burned mice challenged with Pseudomonas. Male mice (C57/BL/6) received a full thickness
burn of 35% of their total body surface area. Mice received 5 IU/kg
insulin i.p. or an equal volume of saline for 5 days after
burn. Mice were challenged with 5x10 colony forming units Pseudomonas aeruginosa intraperitoneally. Serum was harvested 6 h after the bacterial challenge, and 18 serum
cytokines were measured using the Bio-Plex
suspension array system (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif). All 18
cytokines were elevated after the Pseudomonas challenge. However, mice treated with
insulin showed significantly lower proinflammatory
cytokine concentrations of
interleukin 5,
interleukin 6, and keratinocyte-derived
chemokine after the
Pseudomonas infection when compared with placebo-treated mice (P<0.05). In contrast, serum concentrations of
G-CSF were significantly higher in
insulin-treated animals when compared with placebo (P<0.05). We conclude, that
insulin treatment selectively modulates specific
cytokines in a
burn wound infection model.