title: [Effects of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride on ERK1/2 activation in a rat model of ventilator-induced lung injury].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride on inflammatory lung injury and phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein (ERK1/2) in a rat model of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six adult male SD rats were randomized into 3 groups (n=12) to receive a 4-h standard ventilation (group C, with tidal volume of 8 ml/kg and respiratory rate of 90/min), high-tidal volume ventilation (group H, with tidal volume of 20 ml/kg and respiratory rate of 50 /min), and high-tidal volume ventilation plus 0.5 µg·kg(-1)·h(-1) dexmedetomidine infusion (group D), with the maintenance of a positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 0 cmH(2)O. After mechanical ventilation the rats were sacrificed to collect the lung lavage liquid and lung tissue to examine the pulmonary inflammatory changes and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression as well as the expressions of ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Groups H and D showed obvious lung injury and significant elevations of the total protein, WBC, MPO, TNF-α, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation as compared with those of group C. The rats in group D showed milder lung pathologies with significantly lower levels of phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and TNF-α compared with those in group H.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dexmedetomidine can significantly attenuate VILI, decrease the production of the inflammatory molecules, and inhibit the activation of ERK1/2, demonstrating a protective effect against VILI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510182, China. huxingang304@126.com
authors.forename: Xin-gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiang-cai
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Shou-zhang
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: Yu-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D055397:Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases