Caspase 3 expression and plasma level of Fas ligand as apoptosis biomarkers in inflammatory endotoxemic lung injury.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study is to evaluate if the immunohistochemical expression of a pulmonary apoptosis marker and plasma level of Fas ligand (FasL) correlates with the dose- and time-dependent severity of lung injury, induced by the administration of lipo-polysaccharide (LPS) in an endotoxemic rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Our study included 30 male Wistar rats, randomly divided into three groups: one control group (n=6) and two experimental groups (n=12÷group), in whom we induced endotoxemia by intraperitoneal injection of progressively increasing doses of LPS (5, 10 mg÷kg). We measured FasL plasma levels of the rats at different time points and analyzed the relationships with markers of lung injury. To investigate the level of caspase 3-protein expression, the immunohistochemistry of the lung tissue was assessed.

RESULTS:

The median percentage of caspase 3-stained cells for the 5 mg÷kg LPS dose was 0.36%, for the 10 mg÷kg LPS dose was 0.4% and for the control group was 0.03% (p<0.0001). The elevated expression levels of caspase 3 were consistent with the altered lung morphologies observed (rs=0.88). LPS administration in rats resulted in a significant dose-dependent increase in the levels of plasma FasL (p<0.0001). These levels correlated with markers of lung injury: degree of hypoxemia (rs=-0.42), histological measured lung injury score (rs=0.72), the density of the caspase 3 staining cells in the immunohistochemistry assessment of apoptosis (rs=0.81) and with the plasma RAGE (receptor for advanced glycated end-products) values (rs=0.70).

CONCLUSIONS:

Apoptosis is increased in edotoxemia induced lung injury and is likely to contribute to alveolar injury.

• Authors: Raluca Ştefania Fodor, Anca Meda Georgescu, Bianca Liana Grigorescu, Adrian Dan Cioc, Mihaly Veres, Ovidiu Simion Cotoi, Pal Fodor, Sanda Maria Copotoiu, Leonard Azamfirei
• Journal: Romanian journal of morphology and embryology = Revue roumaine de morphologie et embryologie (Rom J Morphol Embryol) Vol. 57 Issue 3 Pg. 951-957 ( 2016) ISSN: 2066-8279 [Electronic] Romania
• PMID: 28002510 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fas Ligand Protein
• Caspase 3

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis
• Caspase 3 (metabolism)
• Fas Ligand Protein (metabolism)
• Humans
• Lung Injury (pathology)
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar