RESUMEN
Objective To investigate the effects of ulinastatin on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and interleukon-6 (IL-6) in the brain tissue of rats with sepsis. Methods Filly SD rats were randomly divided into control (n=5), sepsis (n=15), ulinastatin pretreatment (n=15) and ulinastatin treatment (n=15) groups. Sepsis was induced in the latter 3 groups by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and in the ulinastatin pretreatment and treatment groups, ulinastatin was administered at the dose 25 000 U/kg 2 h before the operation and at 50 000 U/kg 2 h after the operation, respectively. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 6 and 12 h after CLP, and the brain tissues from the left hemisphere was collected for measurement of TNF-a and IL-6 levels by radioimmunity, and those from the right hemisphere was used for pathological examination. Results Compared with control group, the rats in the sepsis group showed obviously increased TNF-a and IL-6 levels in the brain tissues 6 and 12 h after CLP (P<0.05). Ulinastatin treatment before and after the CLP both resulted in significant reduction in TNF-a levels 6 h after CLP in comparison with the levels in the sepsis group (P<0.05), and significant reduction of IL-6 levels occurred till 12 h after CLP (P<0.05). No significant differences in TNF-a and IL-6 levels were noted between ulinastatin pretreatment and treatment groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The inflammatory response caused by elevated TNF-a and IL-6 levels in the brain of septic rats may be an important mechanism of septic encephalopathy. Ulinastatin can reduce TNF-a and IL-6 levels in the brain of septic rats to alleviate sepsis-induced brain injuries, and its therapeutic and prophylactic (at half dose) administration produces similar effects.