Changes of ICAM-1 and P-selectin in rats with pulmonary thromboembolism and the effect of safflower injection / 中国中西医结合杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe dynamically the expressions of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and P-selectin (Ps) in the vascular endothelium in rats with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and the effect of Safflower Injection (SI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group and the treatment group. PTE model was induced by intravenous injection of auto-blood clots, and SI was injected intravenously immediately after modelling with 2 ml/(kg d) for 5 days to the rats in the treatment group. Animals were sacrificed in batches at the 1st, 3rd, 24th, 72nd and 120th h after embolization to observe the pathological changes and detect the protein and mRNA expressions of ICAM-1 and Ps in pulmonary vascular endothelium by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pathological observation showed obvious embolism in pulmonary arteries and inflammatory reaction after modelling, which was abated after SI treatment. ICAM-1 and Ps expressions were elevated at the 3rd and the 1st h after embolization respectively (both P < 0.01), which also were abated in the treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SI may alleviate pulmonary injury in PTE rats by down-regulating the expressions of ICAM-1 and Ps.</p>