title: Impact of Anesthetics on Immune Functions in a Rat Model of Vagus Nerve Stimulation.
abstract: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been successfully performed in animals for the treatment of different experimental models of inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effect of VNS involves the release of acetylcholine by vagus nerve efferent fibers inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. TNF-α) produced by macrophages. Moreover, it has recently been demonstrated that splenic lymphocytic populations may also be involved. As anesthetics can modulate the inflammatory response, the current study evaluated the effect of two different anesthetics, isoflurane and pentobarbital, on splenic cellular and molecular parameters in a VNS rat model. Spleens were collected for the characterization of lymphocytes sub-populations by flow cytometry and quantification of cytokines secretion after in vitro activation. Different results were observed depending on the anesthetic used. The use of isoflurane displayed a non-specific effect of VNS characterized by a decrease of most splenic lymphocytes sub-populations studied, and also led to a significantly lower TNF-α secretion by splenocytes. However, the use of pentobarbital brought to light immune modifications in non-stimulated animals that were not observed with isoflurane, and also revealed a specific effect of VNS, notably at the level of T lymphocytes' activation. These differences between the two anesthetics could be related to the anti-inflammatory properties of isoflurane. In conclusion, pentobarbital is more adapted than isoflurane in the study of the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS on an anesthetized rat model in that it allows more accurate monitoring of subtle immunomodulatory processes.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Antenne de La Tronche, Centre de Recherche du Service de Santé des Armées, La Tronche, France ; Stress et Interactions Neuro-Digestives Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche INSERM 836 UJF-CEA-CHU, La Tronche, France.
authors.forename: Chloé A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Picq
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clarençon
authors.forename: Valérie E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Sinniger
authors.forename: Bruno L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bonaz
authors.forename: Jean-François S
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mayol
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D016207:Cytokines; D000109:Acetylcholine